Democrats to Pelosi: Let’s pass an economic relief bill Saturday
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Jim Himes and more than 100 other House members are calling on Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DCalif., to pass a bill extending federal unemployment benefits when they return to Washington, D.C. Saturday in the hopes that another legislative offer will break the gridlock with Republicans on a coronavirus package.
“There is a little bit of debate happening inside the party about whether we should offer up an economic package,” said Himes, D-4. “I’m a believer that we should. We have a crisis at the Post Office, but we also have a crisis for hundreds of millions of Americans who are economically in a lot of trouble and so I have not been happy since negotiations broke off on a follow-on economic relief bill.”
In letter to Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Wednesday, a diverse group of Democrats, from the most progressive wings to firm centrists, asked their leaders to bring to the floor a bill that would extend federal unemployment benefits at $600 per week for the duration of the national COVID-19 emergency and then gradually reduce the benefit as economic triggers are met. The House will return from recess to pass legislation to reverse Postal Service policy changes Saturday.
Himes and Rice, both members of the moderate New Democrat Coalition, floated the idea of including state and local aid in a legislative package Saturday, a new smaller bill to show a willingness to compromise with Republicans.
“There is a growing chorus of members who don’t want to waste this opportunity having everyone there,” said Rep. Kathleen Rice, D-N.Y., who signed the letter to Pelosi, too. “If they were serious about maybe being to come up, let’s pass another Heroes Act that shows that we’re willing to negotiate and come down. It doesn’t mean that all of the sudden aren’t out priorities anymore. But I believe the way that the Heroes Act came in at such a high price tag was it was funding things up until 2022, so they way we can lower the price tag is to shorten that time period, which I think is a legitimate offer.”
On a caucus call Monday, Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., also called for a vote on a smaller pandemic relief bill Saturday, Himes said.
The $600 per week federal benefit that was in place earlier in the pandemic expired July 31. President Donald Trump signed an executive order offering a new federal unemployment benefit, but the measure is temporary, requires some state costs and has not been widely implemented.
On Aug. 8, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to issue a new $300 per week benefit with some state contribution temporarily for several weeks. But governors initially decried the expense and after the administration tinkered with the program, only 10 states have now applied for the grant money to issue the new benefit and of those only Arizona is issuing the benefit.
Himes declined to comment on whether Connecticut should seek these funds.
Republicans have supported continuing unemployment benefits but with a lower payment than $600 per week, raising concerns that the benefit could make it hard for employers to hire back workers who make more on unemployment that from their wages.
After two weeks of daily negotiations, talks between Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin stalled, prompting Trump to issue a few executive orders related to the pandemic. Democrats and Republicans have been unable to get close to a deal for further legislation since.
When the House returns Saturday, lawmakers plan to approve $25 billion in new funding for a financially-strapped Postal Service and reverse recent changes implemented by the postmaster general, amid outcry over mail delays and potential impact on the November election.