Senate Democrats Thursday blocked Republican measures to extend expiring federal unemployment benefits temporarily after the two parties failed to reach a compromise on a broader coronavirus aid package.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer fired barbs at each other on the Senate floor, blaming each other for the stalled talks on a deal the two sides had initially hoped to secure this week.
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Expanded unemployment benefits expire at the end of the month, and Republicans voted to open debate next week for the consideration of proposals to extend them at a level at or below the current $600 weekly amount.
Schumer, a New York Democrat, blocked attempts to extend the benefits temporarily, including one that would have provided seven additional days of benefits at the current level, offered by Sen. Martha McSally, an Arizona Republican.
“I ask, who could possibly be against this?” McSally said. “It’s the senator from New York. You can tape his picture on your refrigerator when you open it because it’s the minority leader who’s against this on his path to try to become the majority leader, and that’s unfortunate.”
Democrats signaled earlier they would not even support temporarily extending federal unemployment benefits at $600 weekly because it would undercut efforts to pass a much larger spending bill.
“Sure, they’ll call the Republicans names for wanting to make sure the assistance doesn’t pay more not to work, but the Democratic leader gave away the game this morning,” McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, said. “He said on the House floor that he now opposes continuing the aid at the $600 level.”
Schumer accused Republicans of failing to negotiate adequately on a larger spending deal. Democrats are seeking a wide-ranging, $3 trillion coronavirus aid package, while Republicans proposed a $1 trillion measure.
“Unemployment is a crisis,” Schumer said. “There are many crises. All of your constituents are saying why can’t we open our schools safely? They need dollars. We can’t negotiate that proposal.”
The Republican bill proposes $105 billion for schools, which is $5 billion more than the House bill. But Democrats now want at least $200 billion for schools.
Schumer called the McSally proposal “a stunt” and urged Republicans to negotiate a broad coronavirus aid package more to the liking of Democrats.
Democrats have resisted efforts to pass a short-term extension of the unemployment benefits.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat and author of the $3 trillion measure, told reporters passing a short-term deal on unemployment insurance would eliminate her leverage to pass the rest of the legislation, which she said is essential to helping the country cope with the coronavirus outbreak.
Republicans Thursday blocked Schumer’s efforts to pass the $3 trillion coronavirus aid package authored by House Democrats.
The Senate floor fight Thursday followed days of futile negotiations between Democrats, Republicans, and top White House officials.
McConnell Thursday characterized the Democratic position as “refusing to give an inch” in the negotiations.
When asked about the charge, a top aide to Pelosi referred to her statement Thursday that followed new numbers indicating the GDP had retracted significantly.
“Republicans need to get serious immediately and work with Democrats to save lives and livelihoods during this devastating time,” Pelosi said.
Schumer played up the GOP divide on passing another big spending package. Many Senate Republicans have little interest in passing the GOP proposal, but the majority would vote in favor of it.
Democrats blocked a proposal by Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, to extend federal unemployment benefits at a reduced level temporarily.
