Senate Republicans on Monday are set to unveil their long-awaited proposal for another coronavirus economic stimulus package, including some kind of extension of enhanced unemployment benefits that are set to expire this week for millions of Americans.
Based on Republicans’ descriptions of their plan, a trade association for state unemployment agencies has already said it would be an implementation nightmare with wildly different results among states.
The $1 trillion measure is supposed to be a starting point for negotiations with top congressional Democrats. But already it has divided the GOP and faces stiff opposition from conservatives. It includes another round of stimulus checks, similar to those paid out earlier this year, as well as aid to schools and smaller businesses, and expanded liability protections.
The Republican proposal will replace the extra $600 in federal unemployment benefits that Congress created in March with an individualized amount based on workers’ previous wages, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Sunday. |