McConnell, Schumer far apart on unemployment benefits, stimulus proposals
Schumer stimulus
“Meanwhile, Schumer, along with four other Democratic senators, introduced a bill on Tuesday that, relative to McConnell's proposal, offers more benefits to the unemployed.
The legislation — the
American Worker Holiday Relief Act — would offer the benefit retroactively to weeks of joblessness dating to Sep. 5, 2020.
The Democrats would reinstate the $600 weekly boost for all unemployed workers through October 2021. Some workers would be able to collect the $600 subsidy until early January 2022, according to the proposal.
Further, the Senate Democrats would give self-employed, gig and other workers in the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program up to 65 weeks of total benefits — almost double the current 39 weeks. They could get more if states still have high levels of unemployment.”
The Democrats would also extend Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, which is the CARES Act program offering extra weeks of state unemployment insurance.
Workers could get up to 39 weeks of PEUC benefits — more than the current 13 weeks. They'd be eligible for additional weeks in states where the three-month average unemployment rate is above 6.5% — up to 78 total weeks when the rate exceeds 8.5%.”
