UPDATE: President Trump signed the bill, which includes pandemic relief, late Sunday night. Read more here.
ORIGINAL STORY: As of Sunday December 27th, the $900 billion COVID relief package remains in President Trump's court to sign or veto, after both the House and the Senate passed the larger bill this past week. At the same time, pandemic relief programs that the bill could extend expired on Sunday, leaving millions of Americans facing an uncertain financial future and evictions.
If nothing is done, the federal government would also partially shut down after a temporary funding measure expires 12:01 a.m. this coming Tuesday.
"I wish Congress could switch places with us 'regular people' to see what we are actually out here dealing with, on top of the pandemic that we did not ask for," said Jackqueline Miller, a resident of Greensboro, NC. "I am barely making it, it's by the grace of God."
"I shouldn't have to battle (politicians) to survive, when I need you. The American people put you there, and in order for you to stay there, you need to do your job. Do your job, tie this thing up, get it together," Miller said, explaining that she has struggled with unemployment at times during the pandemic, relying on federal unemployment enhanced benefits to help pay bills.
The 5,593-page bill contains a myriad of provisions, including funding for next year's federal budget and coronavirus relief money.
On the pandemic front, it includes stimulus check direct payments of up to $600 per adult and dependent children, federal unemployment benefits of $300 per week, $284 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans, $25 billion in renter's assistance, an extension of the eviction moratorium, and $82 billion for colleges and schools.
"My concern is I have a 29-year-old daughter who will end up having to be responsible for that addition to the national debt," said Rhonda Bennett, a resident of Graham, NC, who is skeptical of another batch of stimulus checks and other government funding. Bennett said she feels fortunate that her family has not faced financial hardship during the pandemic because she and her husband have not lost their jobs.
"Any time a country goes in debt, or the government hands you money, that is not 'Oh happy, happy, joy, joy, here's your free money, go spend it,' " Bennett added. "I think it's easy to get caught up in the government taking care of us. It's never been the government's job to take care of us. We are responsible for taking care of ourselves and contributing to society, not the other way around."
While the President has not signed or vetoed the bill, he has been active on Twitter sharing his perspective on what should happen.
"I simply want to get our great people $2000, rather than the measly $600 that is now in the bill. Also, stop the billions of dollars in 'pork,' " the President tweeted Saturday.
Several benefits created in the CARES Act expired Sunday, including unemployment assistance for gig workers, freelancers, and self-employed workers. Additionally, it covered long-term unemployment checks from the federal government. The CDC's eviction moratorium for those who cannot pay rent will expire December 31, 2020.
The North Carolina Division of Employment Security's website now features a red banner with an exclamation point. The message reads "IMPORTANT: Without new legislation in place, the last week for which North Carolina is authorized to pay PUA or PEUC benefits is the week that ended Dec. 26, 2020."
About 47,000 North Carolinians are impacted by these programs expiring, NCDES told the Winston-Salem Journal.
The full alert from NC's state unemployment agency is below:
Update on Federal Unemployment Benefits: Dec. 27, 2020
Without new federal legislation in place, the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) and the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) programs created by the federal CARES Act have expired.
The last week for which North Carolina is authorized to pay PUA or PEUC benefits is the week that ended Dec. 26, 2020.
The N.C. Division of Employment Security will continue to process claims that were filed before Dec. 27, 2020; however, new PUA and PEUC claims will not be processed.
For current PUA and PEUC claimants:
You should file your weekly certification to claim benefits for the week that ended Dec. 26.
If you are prompted to file a new claim for state unemployment insurance benefits, you may choose to file the new claim.
Part of the CARES Act, PUA stands for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, and PEUC stands for Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
FACTS NOT FEAR
Remember facts, not fear when talking about the coronavirus. You should take the safety measures recommended by health leaders to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Abide by the three W's. That means wearing a mask, washing your hands, and waiting at least six feet from another person. You also want to avoid touching your face and make sure to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue and throw it away.
WHERE YOU GET INFORMATION ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS IS IMPORTANT
It is important to make sure the information you are getting about the coronavirus is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. Be careful not to spread misinformation about coronavirus on social media.
For more information visit the CDC OR NCDHHS website.
NC CORONAVIRUS HOTLINE
The state also has a special hotline set up where you can call 866-462-3821 for more information on the coronavirus. You can also submit questions online at ncpoisoncontrol.org or select chat to talk with someone about the virus.
You can also text keyword VIRUS to WFMY News 2 at 336-379-5775 for the latest.
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