Trump's $300 Unemployment Payments Running Out Before Many Receive Funds

The temporary $300 weekly unemployment benefit granted by an executive order from President Donald Trump has ended in some states and there's no help on the horizon to replace it for struggling families.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which administers the emergency aid, said Thursday it had distributed $30 billion of the $44 billion it had set aside since Aug. 1. It revealed the $44 billion was only enough to cover six weeks of additional jobless benefits.

The deadline for states to apply for the emergency aid passed Thursday, and while most had done so fewer than half have received funds. For some states such as Texas, which was among the first to receive the benefit, the federal funds ended this week.

However, eligible workers who have not yet received the benefit or have received less than six weeks' worth will receive retroactive payments for their full share. In addition to the $300 federal payments, four states chipped in by providing an additional $100 weekly unemployment benefits. These states are Kansas, Kentucky, Montana and West Virginia.

The federal government said 13.4 million Americans still receive state unemployment benefits but not all of them are receiving the additional $300. FEMA said it had approved the aid in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Guam. South Dakota has refused the assistance while Nevada's application has yet to pass.

Other states are just starting to implement the program. California began giving out the benefits this week. The state's Labor & Workforce Development Agency said some people will receive a lump sum of $900 for the first three weeks of August. Florida also will soon start doling out three weeks' worth of payments for August, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said Tuesday.

The rapidly disappearing funds come amid the absence of a new stimulus bill from Congress as Democrats and Republicans continue to feud over the fifth coronavirus rescue package. The Democrats have slimmed down the amount they want to $2.2 trillion, while Republicans this week rolled out it "skinny" bill worth only $500 billion and failing to include a second round of stimulus payments.

On Thursday, Senate Democrats blocked the GOP bill in a 52-to-47 count, the first vote on any coronavirus aid bill since April. Republican Senators said there won't be another relief bill before the November election, blaming Democrats for the debacle. Democrats, on the other hand, believe Republicans will eventually return to the negotiating table.

"Each time (Senate Majority Leader Mitch) McConnell (R-Ky.) said, it's our bill or nothing, when it was a bill without any input from Democrats, when the bill was defeated they came back and we actually got some bipartisan stuff done. I would hope they would do that,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), again urder Republicans to pass the Democrat's HEROES Act.