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Beatty Backs Extending Unemployment Benefits During COVID-19 Pandemic

July 10, 2020

COLUMBUS, OH—U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) joined more than 100 of her congressional colleagues in sending a letter to the White House this week to call for an extension of federal unemployment insurance benefits that are set to expire on July 31, 2020 without further action.

The CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) extended unemployment insurance by providing an additional $600 weekly federal unemployment benefit for workers who lost their job as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic. While the U.S. House of Representatives subsequently passed The Heroes Act, H.R. 6800, that extended unemployment insurance through January 31, 2021, the piece of legislation has languished in the U.S. Senate.

The letter, signed by 110 Members of Congress, reads in part:

"It is essential that we extend federal pandemic unemployment compensation before it ends at the end of July. Cutting off enhanced unemployment benefits while the economy is still in crisis would ignore the millions of Americans who are still suffering. We hope that you will support this measure in the weeks ahead."

A PDF of the full letter can be accessed here.