The Senate has stalled by extending the popular unemployment benefit that pays unemployed Americans $ 600 a week, a provision in the CARES Act that formally expires on Friday.
For now, it passed a “shell” bill (47-42) that did not include any details, but which was proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in an attempt to break the deadlock in negotiations during the next coronavirus relief bill.
In a speech on the Senate floor, McConnell blamed Democrats in Congress for allowing the enhanced unemployment benefits to lapse. No Democrat voted to move the bill forward. Republicans Cory Gardner, Republican of Colorado, and Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, joined the Democrats in rejecting the motion, and eleven senators did not vote.
House Democrats passed a $ 3 billion bill in May that would have extended benefits for those without jobs to the current level of $ 600 per week, in addition to their weekly unemployment insurance check.
Senate Republicans proposed his own invoice on Monday, which would cost around $ 1 trillion, but would reduce the additional weekly payment to $ 200 until the states discover a system to replace 70% of a person’s salary, with around 50% paid by the states and the rest paid by the federal government.
Both Republicans and Senate Democrats mentioned measures Thursday that would expand unemployment insurance and tried to pass them unanimously, but all of these efforts were blocked.
Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer argued that Democrats had “asked to negotiate” for the past 10 weeks on his proposal. He accused McConnell of being “afraid to negotiate” and criticized him for not attending negotiations with Schumer, Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin and Chief of Staff of the White House Mark Meadows.
The Senate would still need 60 votes to end debate on the measure, which has no substance yet. The final bill may be a compromise agreement reached with Democrats on unemployment insurance, a broader deal, or a series of amendments, any of which would also require 60 votes.
The first vote on the bill next week is likely to be on an amendment offered by Senators Mike Braun and Ron Johnson that would provide $ 200 per week or 66% of the wage replacement.
Republican Senators Mitt Romney and Susan Collins proposed an alternative Thursday that would offer two options for states: provide additional payments of $ 500 per week in August, $ 400 per week in September, and $ 300 per week in October, or total benefits that they replace 80% of wages.
However, Pelosi and Schumer have repeatedly said that they are not interested in “piecemeal” legislation and are pressing for a comprehensive package to address the economic consequences of the pandemic. Mnuchin also warned on Wednesday that Democrats and Republicans are “far away” to reach an agreement. Meadows, Mnuchin, Pelosi and Schumer will meet at 8 p.m. Thursday at Pelosi’s office to continue negotiations.
Meanwhile, the American economy shrunken at a record 32.9% rate in the second quarter of this year, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Millions of Americans have applied for unemployment insurance and the death toll in the US due to COVID-19 exceeded 150,000 on Wednesday.
Alan He and John Nolen contributed to this report.
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