🚨🚨🚨White House proposes dramatically cutting federal unemployment benefits as agreed to by bipartisan Senate group, in potentially huge blow to relief talks
Mnuchin pitches $0 in federal UI benefit for jobless in exchange for one-time check of $600
Offer takes the bipartisan Senate group's $180 billion in proposed UI benefits down to $40 billion. It would extend some federal unemployment programs but crucial UI supplemental benefits would be at $0. Trump unilaterally approved $300/week this summer
This is an obvious nonstarter among Dems and a bad sign for negotiations overall.
In July, Trump said he supported extending UI benefits: "We're going to take care of the people." WH now proposing $0 in supplemental UI benefits for tens of millions
Democrats incensed by WH proposal. "How the hell are you supposed to survive the next four months on $100 per week?," one senior Dem aide says washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020…
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A senior Treasury official also said that Democrats and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) support stimulus checks' inclusion in the relief package. These Democrats support including both checks and robust federal UI washingtonpost.com/us-policy/2020…
— Enormous unemployment programs 4 millions to expire
— Protections 4 renters, student borrowers end
— ACA at Supreme Court
— Gov shutdown Dec 11
— 40% restaurants, 66% hotels face closure
— 1M travel jobs at risk
Hunger already up dramatically. 30-40 million face eviction. 80K bus drivers furloughed. Retailers under siege. Huge layoffs in oil & gas. Public transit face major cuts.
*90%* of $2.7T in Covid aid has been disbursed or committed, per @MarcGoldwein
White House memo: “The President has directed me to ensure that federal agencies cease and desist from using taxpayer dollars to fund these divisive, un-American propaganda training sessions"
President Trump says the administration has found $300 billion in unspent money approved by Congress that they want to use for stimulus -- seems like he's saying it requires Congress' approval to use?
Trump says he's trying to use this money unilaterally but was told no: "I would like to use it without their permission but I guess I am not allowed to do that. I did ask that question."
The president says Congress just has to give "a very quick statement" (?) which would allow the White House to unilaterally put the $300 billion into the economy
Joe Biden's campaign declined to comment when I asked if he supports @KamalaHarris' plan w/ Sens. Bernie Sanders & Ed Markey to provide $2,000 every month to millions of Americans during the pandemic
Biden's campaign also did not respond to when I asked if they support Harris' bill to halt all evictions, foreclosures, rent increases and utility shutdowns during covid
Biden adviser @econjared, however, had positive things to say about the checks idea