Sen. Graham 'very worried' about unemployment aspect of coronavirus stimulus bill
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham says it could take 6-8 weeks for people to get unemployment checks in phase three of the COVID-19 stimulus package.
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While the coronavirus stimulus relief package is going into effect, Sen. Lindsey Graham said on Tuesday that the unemployment insurance system in the United States is “broken.”
“I’m going to spend a lot of time trying to fix it,” the Republican South Carolina lawmaker told “Fox & Friends.”
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Graham went on to say, “Six to eight weeks to get a check is what I’m hearing [and] that’s unacceptable.”
“In unemployment under this bill, you’re actually increasing people’s wages, which will deter growing the economy. We’ve got to fix both of those things.”
Democrats, in a fourth stimulus package, are reportedly seeking additional funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, as well as emissions restrictions on airlines — a measure that was blocked from inclusion in the package passed last week.
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But House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., stressed that phase three of coronavirus legislation – the one approved last week – was “critical,” voicing uncertainty over whether another bill is necessary.
While Congress is considering phase four of the stimulus package, Graham said that he is worried about the unemployment component in “phase three” because 3 million people filed for unemployment and checks aren't yet going out.
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Graham said that every state has an unemployment commission to issue checks.
“I think the train wreck of this bill is going to be the unemployment insurance benefit, because it’s administered by state systems that are stuck in the '70s," he said, adding that he's hoping to move quickly on a fourth phase of stimulus.
Fox News' Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
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