HUFFPOST: Daines Brags About Unemployment Benefits He Voted Against
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Thursday, April 2, 2020
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HUFFPOST: Daines Brags About Unemployment Benefits He Voted Against
Helena, MT – Steve Daines has been busy over the last week bragging about critical unemployment insurance benefits included in the coronavirus pandemic response bill. However, Daines voted against those benefits, backing an amendment to cap unemployment insurance after supporting a massive corporate bailout without strong restrictions to prevent corporations from using federal aid funds to boost CEO bonuses or buy back stocks — measures other Senators had to secure before passing the final deal.
“Daines has always said one thing to Montanans and done the opposite in Washington — but trying to rewrite history after voting to undermine crucial benefits in the midst of a public health crisis is a new low,” said MDP Executive Director Sandi Luckey. “If Daines wants to spend his time in Congress fighting for large corporations at the expense of his constituents back home, he should at least have the decency to be honest about who he really is.”
HuffPost: Republicans Are Bragging About An Unemployment Boost They Voted Against
“To that end, many members of Congress are pointing to expanded unemployment benefits they authorized last week as part of a massive coronavirus pandemic response bill, which will boost weekly benefits by $600.
“Among the lawmakers touting the additional $600: Senate Republicans who voted against it.
“‘This package that we passed will provide $600 a week on top of the Montana benefit if you’re unemployed,’ Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) told a local TV station the day after the bill passed. ‘That’s very significant. It more than doubles what the state of Montana pays. That’s taking care of those Montanans who’ve lost their jobs.’
“But Daines, like most of his other GOP colleagues, supported an amendment to the bill offered by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) that would have capped unemployment benefits and denied some people the extra $600. The Senate rejected the amendment before ultimately passing the bill last week.”