President Donald Trump’s latest round of executive orders aimed at providing financial relief to Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic are getting a cold reception from Congressional Democrats.
During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said the new orders could be described in one word: paltry.
He added, “In three words, unworkable, weak, and far too narrow.”
“The event at the country club is just what Trump does — a big show, but it doesn’t do anything. And as the American people look at these executive orders, they’ll see they don’t come close to doing the job,” Schumer said.
Watch the video below:
JUST IN: Sen. Chuck Schumer tells @GStephanopoulos that President Trump’s COVID-19 executive orders are “unworkable, weak and far too narrow.”
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) August 9, 2020
“The event at the country club is just what Trump does — a big show but it doesn’t do anything.” https://t.co/mXqSebBaMG pic.twitter.com/rXMrzm1yXJ
After weeks of negotiations on a new coronavirus relief bill stalled, Trump signed several new executive orders on Saturday at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The first order accomplishes Trump’s longtime goal of cutting the payroll tax. A second order protects homeowners and renters from evictions. A third order suspends interest on student loans through the end of the year.
And a fourth order revives the enhanced unemployment benefits but at a lower rate of an extra $400 per week — down from $600. To pay for the unemployment benefits, Trump plans to use money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and to require states to pay 25%.
“We’ve had it,” Trump said, adding, “We’re going to save American jobs and provide relief to the American worker.”
However, Schumer called that an “unworkable plan” because it is “brand new” and “put together with spit and paste.” He predicted that it could take months for states to implement the new unemployment benefits.
He also blasted the plan to re-allocate funds from FEMA’s “hurricane trust fund” as many states are heading into their hurricane season.
While some of his new executive orders are expected to face legal challenges, Trump predicted that they will survive a court challenge.