Democrats dig in on $600 jobless benefit
By Mike Lillis - 08/06/20 01:53 PM EDT
The top Democrats on Capitol Hill are doubling down on their demand for an additional $600 in jobless benefits as part of a coronavirus package, warning that slashing the subsidy would undermine the economic recovery on the whole.
"We're with the 600 [dollars]," Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Thursday during a press briefing in the Capitol.
The posture is an indication that, with federal unemployment subsidies having expired last week — and with Republicans in sharp conflict over a fix — Democrats think they have the leverage to insist on the continuation of the $600 weekly payment, adopted as part of the CARES Act in March.
Schumer predicted a domino effect if the jobless benefits are not restored quickly, warning that evictions will rise, retail spending will fall — and any shot at a timely recovery will be lost.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/house/510892-dems-dig-in-on-600-jobless-benefit
