Democrats push stimulus deal
See Trump’s benefit extension as a sign that it’s time to talk
Democrats signaled on Sunday they’re ready to get back to the negotiating table after President Trump signed an executive order to extend unemployment benefits of $400 a week to people who have lost their jobs amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Democrats repeat our call to Republicans to return to the table, meet us halfway and work together to deliver immediate relief to the American people,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a joint statement. “Lives are being lost, and time is of the essence.”
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Democrats will need to be the ones to move stimulus talks forward. He warned they would need to tap down their demand for $1 trillion in aid to local and state governments grappling with massive reductions in tax revenues.
“I think we’ve been very clear that they need to come back with a compromise,” Mnuchin told CNN on Sunday.
Trump signed an executive order Saturday that extends additional unemployment payments of $400 a week to cushion the economic fallout of the pandemic. Congress had approved payments of $600 a week at the outset of the coronavirus outbreak, but those benefits expired Aug. 1 and lawmakers have been unable to agree on an extension. Many Republicans have expressed concern that a $600 weekly benefit, on top of existing state benefits, gives people an incentive to stay unemployed.
Under Trump’s plan, the $400 a week requires a state to commit to providing $100.
Gov. Charlie Baker was mum over the weekend on how Massachusetts would approach Trump’s plan.
It’s unclear how states would pay for their slice of the unemployment benefit extension. Many states are facing gaping budget holes as tax revenues have been decimated amid the pandemic.
Asked at a news conference how many governors had signed on to participate, Trump answered: “If they don’t, they don’t. That’s up to them.”
Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine praised Trump for issuing the order.
“He’s trying to do something. He’s trying to move the ball forward,” DeWine said.
Still, he was noncommittal about whether Ohio would participate.
“We’re looking at it right now to see whether we can do this,” he said.
In Maryland, Michael Ricci, spokesman for Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, said in an email that “we will wait on new guidance from US Department of Labor before looking at any (unemployment insurance) changes.”
Whether Trump has the constitutional authority to extend federal unemployment benefits by executive order also remains unclear.
Mnuchin cautioned Democrats from challenging Trump’s order in the courts. During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday” he said, “If the Democrats want to challenge us in court and hold up unemployment benefits to those hardworking Americans that are out of a job because of COVID, they’re going to have a lot of explaining to do.”