Trump Says He Will Allow Unemployed Americans To Get Enhanced Benefits Without The States Paying Part Of The Costs
Donald Trump said on Sunday that he is open to allowing some unemployed American people to avail of the enhanced unemployment benefits even if the state they live in doesn't pay part of the costs. Just one day before making this remark, the president signed a memorandum that would require states to enter into a financial arrangement with the federal government for the unemployed people living there to take advantage of the additional benefits.
The federal government would require states to pay out 25 percent (or $100) of the $400 additional benefit that unemployed Americans may able to get weekly in additional aid under the memorandum. As expected, the initiative received strong criticism from several governors because of how many economically strapped many states are due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump said there is a possibility that the federal government could chip in the entire cost if governors ask as a favor. Before returning to the White House from his New Jersey resort, Trump told reporters that the federal government has a system wherein it can do 100 percent or 75 percent with the states paying the remaining 25 percent.
The president went on to explain that the states will make an application, and they will make a decision after looking at it. Trump said there is a possibility that some states may not be anything, or pay just a little bit like the National Guard. Sometimes, they will chip in the entire amount based on how hard a state has been hit by the crisis, he explained.
Furthermore, in another instance, the state will pay 40 percent, 25 percent, 10 percent, or nothing depending on how it works out, he added. Some experts told CNN that there are major concerns about how some states may be able to pay the additional cost.
They argue if some states do not have the funds or aren't willing to enter into the agreement, the unemployed people in that state will receive nothing in the extra benefits, aside from receiving the state unemployment insurance. Moreover, Congress hasn't authorized an extension of the additional federal unemployment assistance, meaning, the state will have to spend months creating a new system to provide the additional aid.
Aside from this memorandum on enhanced unemployment benefits, Trump tried exerting executive action on three more items after the White House and Democrats failed to reach an agreement on a broad stimulus package.