Sasse: Pelosi and Sanders "Throwing Workers Cinder Blocks, Not Lifesavers"

Statement

U.S. Senator Ben Sasse, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement regarding Democrats' current attempt to extend unemployment "bonuses" that pay significantly more than work.

"Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders are throwing workers cinder blocks, not lifesavers. These unemployment "bonuses' are going to further undermine workers' relationship with their workplace, and they're going to kill small businesses -- both of which will make long-term unemployment much worse. This is hurtful policy. Everyone wants to help workers who lost their jobs -- and we can do that with generous emergency benefits -- but we shouldn't make it impossible for small businesses to hire again by pitting them against a crummy government system that makes not working pay more than working. This isn't recovery, it's suffocation."

Background:

In March, Senators Sasse (NE), Scott (SC), Graham (SC), and Scott (FL) introduced a pro-worker, pro-recovery amendment that would have fixed the coronavirus emergency relief law's perverse incentive to increase unemployment by capping unemployment benefits at full pay.

Now, House and Senate Democrats are insisting that unemployment bonuses be extended beyond the current crisis.

Source