COVID-19 Stimulus Checks Second Round: Pelosi Says U.S. ‘Not’ on Path Toward Deal Regarding Unemployment Benefits

Getty U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi,

United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Congress is “not” on a path toward extending the $600 unemployment benefits, which could be stalling the second round of stimulus checks.

For the past few months, the government has been at a standstill in terms of reaching an agreement on how to funnel money back into the economy, according to Reuters. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer continued talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Saturday, August 1, to work toward finding a common ground, the outlet added.

Pelosi, who opposes a short-term deal, said Friday that “she rejected an offer by Republican President Donald Trump’s administration to continue the $600 payments for another week,” Reuters indicated. She claimed the decision to do so would only be justified “if you are on a path” toward a deal, adding “we’re not.”

Reuters reported that White House officials say Democrats are refusing Trump’s proposals in order “to extend the jobless benefit and a moratorium on home evictions that expired last week.”

“What we’re seeing is politics as usual from Democrats on Capitol Hill,” Meadows said, according to the outlet.

Here’s what you need to know:


McConnell on Monday Unveiled His Own $1 Trillion Package

mcconnell

GettySenate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

Reuters reported that the package was immediately criticized by “both from Democrats, who called it too small, and from members of his own party, who said it was too costly.”

President Donald Trump is backing another bill, according to the outlet.

On Thursday night, White House officials met with Congressional Democratic leaders to discuss an extension of the $600 per week federal unemployment benefit, Reuters disclosed. The provision, which seeks to aid Americans who lost their jobs due to COVID-19, expired on July 31.

Reuters reported that the administration proposed to continue with the provision for one week, citing a “person familiar with the closed-door negotiations.”

But Pelosi and Schumer rejected the idea, the outlet added.

“The White House then proposed reducing the $600 weekly payment to $400 for the next four months. While that was a move toward Democrats’ demands, the source said they rejected it as insufficient,” Reuters wrote.


Trump Has His Sights Set on Payroll Tax Cuts

trump

GettyU.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on March 18, 2020.

On Saturday, Trump began tweeting about payroll tax cuts — the president has pushed for the initiative for months, Pop Culture reported.

Several Senate Republicans do not support the payroll tax cuts, which would reduce funding that supports programs like Social Security and Medicare, the outlet continued. Tax cuts were not included in McConnell’s proposed Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection and Schools (HEALS) Act.

The act would include another $1,200 stimulus check for adults making less than $75,000, according to Debt.org.

“Payroll Tax Cut plus Dollars!” Trump wrote.

Many fear the programs that benefit the tax cuts will “run out of money in the future, with millions of Americans unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic,” Pop Culture reported.

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