The $600 Unemployment Benefits Are Expiring This Weekend Because Senate Republicans Didn’t Do Anything
Over 30 million people are drawing unemployment and will be left with state benefits only, which tend to be less than half of the federal amount. This is happening right as millions of people are being exposed to the threat of eviction. When the coronavirus pandemic first caused a spike in unemployment, state and local governments enacted moratoriums on evictions and shutting off utilities. But now those have expired in about half the states in the country . The eviction ban in Illinois ends in late August. In Florida, it expires Aug. 1. A steady stream of moratoriums lapsing is scheduled to continue throughout the month of August. After this weekend, the unemployment subsidy expires . Congress plans to pass another coronavirus aid bill but is moving at a snail’s pace. Republicans spent the entire week debating among themselves on a proposal. Bipartisan talks have not yet even begun. The Senate left Washington on Thursday and won’t return until Monday, after the benefits expire. At t...