Republicans are making Democrats choose between stimulus checks and a longer extension of jobless benefits. The deal is still being negotiated and details about unemployment benefits and direct payments could easily change. ), the second-ranking Senate Republican, told reporters Thursday that if the total “drifts north of that, it’s a lot harder [to] pass.”Not only do Republicans want a lower top number, they are hostile to both unemployment benefits and stimulus checks. The stimulus payments would be worth about $600 for adults with earnings beneath a certain threshold, plus $600 per dependent, according to the source. Several studies, including from the Urban Institute and Columbia, found the combination of the unemployment benefits and stimulus payments kept millions out of poverty over the summer.

Source: Huffington Post December 17, 2020 19:45 UTC