Unemployment benefits for millions of Americans expired early Sunday morning when Donald Trump refused to sign a $900 billion aid package. Trump has thrown Washington into chaos by objecting, at the last minute, to the size of a pandemic relief bonuses. He wants $2000 per person while Congress, and his administration, negotiated $600 checks. Trump had until Saturday night to sign the measure and by refusing to do so delayed not only the bonuses but basic unemployment benefits. The New York Times writes:
The consequences of such a delay are dire, economists, policy experts and lawmakers said, particularly as the United States’ economic recovery continues to sputter and the pandemic ravages the country. Some warned that any resolution at this point may be too late for families who will have lost their only lifeline shielding them from the brunt of the pandemic’s economic toll, and will further burden overwhelmed state unemployment agencies waiting for guidance on how to enact the legislation.
“Foreclosures, hunger, homelessness, suicide,” said Michele Evermore, a senior policy analyst for the National Employment Law Project, a nonprofit workers’ rights group. “There will be very permanent things that happen to people that can’t be fixed by a check in three weeks.”
President-elect Biden blasted Trump for refusing to sign the bill calling it an “abdication of responsibility.”
“It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority. This bill is critical. It needs to be signed into law now.” -President-elect Joe Biden
Beyond unemployment benefits, the bill would also extend the eviction moratorium until the end of January and provide landlords $25 billion in assistance. It also provides billions more to small businesses struggling to survive in the pandemic.