A legislative battle that extended into the wee hours of Saturday has seen the federal unemployment benefits supplement whittled down to $300 per week. But that’s not the worse news. As the Senate continues to battle over the particulars of this latest round of economic stimulus , some believe that things won’t be resolved by the March 14 cutoff. That means there could be a delay of several weeks in the money actually reaching the pocketbooks of those without a job. “The unfortunate reality is, we waited a little too long,” said Elizabeth Pancotti, an unemployment expert and policy advisor at Employ America, as quoted by CNBC. “They needed a bill to [President Biden] by about Valentine’s Day.” The House now needs to approve the Senate version of the stimulus plan and send it to President Joe Biden to sign into law. More than 18 million total Americans were collecting jobless aid as of mid-February, according to Labor Department data. The Senate version … [Read more...] about Unemployment: There May Be A Gap Between Benefits Periods Because Of Congress Haggling
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Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief Bill Without a Single Republican Vote
After more than 24 hours of debate, the Senate voted in favor of President Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid package. The bill, because of the Senate’s changes , will now head back to the House for final passage and then on to the president to sign. On Saturday, the bill passed along party lines 50-49. Not one Republican supported the legislation that will deliver $1,400 in direct payments to most Americans, extend $300 per week supplemental unemployment insurance, and help fund federal covid programs for testing and vaccine distribution. It also includes a $3,600 one-year child tax credit. The Senate made last-minute changes to the House bill to appease centrist Democrats, such as lowering the maximum income allowed to qualify for stimulus checks. Now the checks will be phased out for individuals making $80,000 and couples making $160,000 instead of the House’s proposed $100,000 limit for individuals and $200,000 for couples. That means 12 million fewer adults will receive a … [Read more...] about Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief Bill Without a Single Republican Vote