#Roommates, despite receiving monthly benefits since the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year—millions of Americans are now officially without unemployment benefits, as Trump continues to drag his feet signing a new stimulus bill. While many were attempting to celebrate the holiday season amid rising COVID-19 cases, the official time limit on unemployment benefits ran out and with no current news on when an updated stimulus package will be available, things are more uncertain than ever.
@ABCNews reports, for almost 10 million Americans who were relying on unemployment benefits as a means of financial support, those benefits have officially come to an end. This deadline was hoped to have been avoided because a new stimulus plan was supposed to be put into place—but Trump has put an end to that. He refused to sign an end-of-year COVID-19 relief and spending bill that had been considered good-to-go before his sudden objections. The fate of the stimulus package remained in limbo as Trump continues to demand larger stimulus relief checks and complained about “pork” spending. Without the widespread funding provided by the stimulus package, a government shutdown would occur when money runs out at 12:01 a.m. December 29th.
President-elect Joe Biden called on Trump to sign the bill immediately prior to the deadline ending, saying “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.” About 9.5 million people, however, had been relying on the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program—which made unemployment insurance available to freelancers, gig workers and others who were normally not eligible. After receiving their last checks, those recipients would not be able to file for more aid.
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In addition to the unemployment benefits that have already lapsed, Trump’s continued refusal to sign the bill would lead to the expiration of eviction protections and put on hold a new round of subsidies for hard-hit businesses, restaurants and theaters, as well as money for cash-starved transit systems and for vaccine distribution.
The relief was also attached to a $1.4 trillion government funding bill to keep the federal government operating through September, which would mean that failing to sign it by December 29th would trigger a federal shutdown.
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