President Donald Trump’s vow to unilaterally deliver pandemic aid via executive orders if talks with Congress collapse could run into some snags.
Politico said executive orders would likely bring legal challenges and cause further turmoil for governors.
Trump has said he expects to sign orders on Friday or Saturday to extend enhanced unemployment benefits and impose a payroll tax holiday.
Trump also expects to sign orders providing eviction protection and on student loan repayment.
Politico noted the most controversial move under consideration is a plan to tap billions of dollars in states’ unspent pandemic relief funds to bring back federally enhanced unemployment benefits.
The executive order being considered by the White House would give states the ability to offer jobless Americans between $200 to $600 per week.
As of June 30, only a quarter of the $150 billion provided to state and local governments under the CARES Act had been spent.
According to Politico, the administration believes it could earmark as much as $81 billion of the unspent money to beef up unemployment benefits.
But Politico noted that while much of the money hasn’t been spent, it has already been committed to specific purposes, including business relief, distance learning for students and housing assistance.
Meanwhile, any unilateral action by Trump could spark a legal fight over presidential authority as House Democrats would likely see it as a breach of congressional spending power.
“The executive actions the White House has floated in the press are illegal and aren’t worthy of attention or discussion,” House Appropriations Committee spokesman Evan Hollander said.
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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