Unemployment benefits: Senate Democrats look to trim weekly boost but add a month of payments in stimulus bill – CNNPolitics

(CNN)Jobless Americans would get a smaller weekly boost to unemployment benefits but receive those payments for an additional month under a last-minute revision of the Senate’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package on Friday.

This is a significant change from the House bill, which would provide an extra $400 a week through August 29 and continue the two pandemic programs for the same period. The House bill does not contain the tax provision.

But West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin — the Democrats’ crucial 50th vote — does not yet support the plan, but has been supportive of a Republican proposal to extend $300-a-week federal benefits through July.

Progress on the overall bill paused Friday afternoon as senators negotiated the issue.

The Senate was voting Friday on a series of amendments in a process known as a “vote-a-rama” before moving to a final vote on the entire relief package.

Source: Unemployment benefits: Senate Democrats look to trim weekly boost but add a month of payments in stimulus bill – CNNPolitics