SC’s Graham and Scott slam new unemployment benefits for coronavirus-related layoffs
South Carolina Republican U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott on Wednesday laid out their priorities — and set expectations — for what to expect from the federal government in the next phase of coronavirus relief legislation.
The special guests at Gov. Henry McMaster’s meeting of the Accelerate SC task force also reiterated the dangers of a provision they unsuccessfully fought to remove from the $2 trillion CARES Act that provides an additional $600 for week for four months in unemployment insurance.
Scott and Graham argued the additional money would amount in more weekly earnings then some people receive in their regular jobs, discouraging them from returning to work once the pandemic passes. They attempted, but failed, to amend the provision to cap unemployment benefits to 100% of the salary a person was earning before being laid off.
“Federal government, let us pray,” Scott quipped on Wednesday, calling the new unemployment benefit “a perverse incentive” that would “continue to wreak havoc until this crisis is over.”
Graham said “the goal of all this was to help people,” but he and Scott did not want to pay Americans “more in unemployment than you were making at work. I’ll give you 100%, but not a pay raise.”
“We’ll fix this,” he pledged.
While speaking with reporters, however, Graham and Scott said they wouldn’t disclose the names of employers who were having trouble hiring back workers. They both said they had discussions with business owners in recent days about the issue.
“It’s important for us not to strain those relationships anymore,” Scott said.
In other remarks at the task force meeting Wednesday, Graham previewed the priorities that Senate Republicans are rallying around during the early stages of negotiations for the next round of legislative relief. He voiced support for “liability protection” to shield businesses from so-called frivolous lawsuits once the economy reopens.
“Nobody sues you if you get the flu,” Graham said, “but we need to think through, when you open back up, ‘What are the risks you are running with your employees and your customers?’ ... We have to think about how to reopen without everyone getting sued.”
Graham also echoed another talking point from Senate Republican leaders about what GOP lawmakers would and wouldn’t accept in a follow-up rescue package as it relates to state pensions.
“We can’t let this be a bailout to other states having issues unrelated to the coronavirus,” he said.
This story was originally published April 29, 2020 at 4:57 PM.
