The extension would be for a period of four months. An additional extension for unemployment under $600 a week is contemplated in the bipartisan stimulus bill introduced in the U.S. Congress valued at some $908 billion.
The package, which does not have the endorsement of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, provides for weekly payments of $300 for a four-month period in addition to what each state pays.
Democrats support a continuation of the $600 payment that expired in July and are leaning toward the “HEROES Act” proposal for that amount, which passed the House in May.
While the issue of more unemployment benefits is high on the agenda, the parties are not close to reaching an agreement on this issue.
Meanwhile, millions of Americans who will be left without additional unemployment benefits this month under the CARES Act are struggling with uncertainty.
It is estimated that no less than 12 million unemployed will be deprived of benefits as of next January. The December expiration of the CARES Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) and Extended Benefits (EB) programs will impact that number of recipients.
The bipartisan package being considered by Congress also includes $82 billion for education, $45 billion for air transportation and $25 billion for housing assistance.
In addition, the proposal includes $160 billion for state and local governments, an issue that has divided Democrats and Republicans for months.
Stimulus checks are not part of the bill. This provision is another one that Democrats have insisted on.
Several Democratic and Republican senators as well as senators from both parties in the Problem Solvers Caucus in the House of Representatives support the plan, which exceeds the last one presented by McConnell in the Senate by an estimated $500 billion.
Legislators propose to provide an additional $300 a week in unemployment benefits
The proposal does not include a new stimulus check. A group of congressional representatives from the House and Senate proposed a $908 billion pandemic aid package that would provide a $300 weekly bonus for four months to people receiving unemployment benefits.
The proposal also includes financial support for state and local governments, more money for the Paycheck Protection Program, and funds for vaccine development and distribution.
Sadly, the initiative does not include a second stimulus check.
Since this proposal was made by both Republican and Democratic legislators, it would have more potential to initiate further negotiations to approve more aid money, including an additional weekly unemployment check.
This is the third revision of the $500 billion package proposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, which has not passed the Senate since July and was blocked by Democrats on two occasions