PRESIDENT Trump continues to insist on $2,000 stimulus checks for Americans, blaming China for the current condition in the US, as unemployment benefits ran out over the weekend.
Trump rejected a $900billion pandemic aid package last week, and with it let an added unemployment benefit expire on December 26 at midnight.
However, the president has insisted that the $600 stimulus checks for eligible Americans that were part of that package were not enough.
“$2000 + $2000 plus other family members. Not $600,” Trump tweeted on Saturday night. “Remember, it was China’s fault!”
However, Trump indicated on Sunday that news was coming regarding the coronavirus relief package.
“Good news on Covid Relief Bill. Information to follow!” Trump tweeted Sunday night.
The new Covid relief package, which was passed by Congress last week, would extend the number of weeks people whose jobs were affected by the pandemic can stay on unemployment, and increase the weekly benefits by $300 through mid-March.
Without Trump’s approval, about 14million Americans could lose benefits, according to Labor Department data.
After months of deliberations between Congressional Democrats and Republicans to agree on a bill, both sides were shocked when Trump shut down the relief package.
The package was also attached to a $1.4trillion government funding package. If that bill is not signed by Tuesday, it will force a government shutdown.
“I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill,” Trump tweeted earlier on Saturday from his golf course in Palm Beach, Florida. “Also, stop the billions of dollars in ‘pork.’”
President-elect Joe Biden slammed Trump for an “abdication of responsibility” and demanded that the president sign the COVID-19 Economic Relief Bill on Saturday to prevent “devastating consequences.”
“It is the day after Christmas, and millions of families don’t know if they’ll be able to make ends meet because of President Donald Trump’s refusal to sign an economic relief bill approved by Congress with an overwhelming and bipartisan majority,” Biden said in a statement.
“This bill is critical. It needs to be signed into law now,” Biden said.
Democrats had been pushing for larger stimulus checks all along, but even with Trump’s insistence, House Republicans shut down the idea during a rare Christmas Eve meeting on Thursday.
Trump, while he hasn’t formally vetoed the bill, has refused to budge on the stimulus check issue.
About 9.5million Americans were relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, which made unemployment insurance available to freelancers, gig workers and others who are normally not eligible.
The program expired on Saturday.
Several millions more are expected to lose their benefits in the coming weeks.
While payments could be received retroactively should new measures be passed, any gap means more hardship and uncertainty for Americans who have already grappled with trying to stay afloat amid bureaucratic delays.
