State officials sounding alarm, urging Congress to reach deal on COVID-19 relief package

PITTSBURGH — Millions of Pennsylvanians have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The $600 weekly federal unemployment stipend stopped coming last week.

While Congress and the White House work toward a deal, state officials are sounding the alarm.

Unemployed Americans remain in limbo as Republicans and Democrats continue to negotiate on what a new pandemic relief bill should look like.

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Both political sides agree that relief must continue, but can’t see eye to eye on how.

Democrats want to extend the $600-a-week benefit but Republicans have argued that relief shouldn’t be the same for everyone and should rather be income-based, so people aren’t making more without a job, than they had while employed.

Since the start of the pandemic, state leaders said roughly 2 million Pennsylvanians have received federal pandemic unemployment compensation.

If and when Congress reaches a decision, state officials said it would be a matter of days if they decide to stick to the $600-a-week flat rate.

If they decide on a different rate, it could take as long as a week or several months.

State leaders are still trying to play catch-up, making payments for weeks in the past.

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