Senate Democrats push administration for plan to expedite unemployment benefits

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) are asking the Department of Labor for details on how it will expedite new unemployment benefits included in the $2.2 trillion coronavirus aid package. 

The three senators sent a letter to Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia on Wednesday asking him “to do everything” within his authority to smooth the way for states to quickly disburse the boosted unemployment insurance after claims skyrocketed to historic highs late last week.  

“Do you have a plan to make sure that eligible Americans are able to receive their benefits within two weeks of applying? If yes, please share your plan with us. If no, please let us know how long you expect it will take for eligible Americans to receive their benefits and what Congress could do to speed up the process,” the senators ask in their letter. 

The third coronavirus relief package, passed by Congress late last week, provided an additional $600 per week in unemployment compensation.   

But the senators raised concerns that with a wave of layoffs in response to the coronavirus’ impact on the economy, there is an “unprecedented increase in demand” and “increasing reports of jammed phone lines and crashed websites at unemployment offices across the country.”  

A record 3.3 million Americans filed unemployment claims during the week ending March 21.

“We urge you to make sure that every unemployment office in the nation has the necessary staffing and technology to address the unprecedented number of requests for benefits that are coming in each and every day. … We expect the Department to do everything within its power to support states in quickly getting benefits to eligible Americans,” they added.

In addition to wanting to know how the department will ensure Americans get benefits within two weeks of applying, the Democratic senators are also asking Scalia to detail by Friday what new staffing levels the department is bringing on board to make sure unemployment checks go out quickly, what the department is trying to do to keep unemployment websites from crashing and to reduce phone wait times, and how the department plans to get funding from the bill to the states.