More than 7 million Americans are set to lose their unemployment aid immediately after Labor Day, even as the delta variant poses new challenges to the economic recovery, The Hill reported. Gig workers and other unemployed Americans receiving aid through programs created for the pandemic will see those checks end on Sept. 7, along with the $300 weekly federal supplement to traditional jobless benefits. President Biden had all but formally ruled out an extension before the delta variant caused COVID-19 cases to surge, saying in July it would “make sense” for those programs to lapse in September. But as cases climbed, White House press secretary Jen Psaki left the door to an extension open, telling reporters on Aug. 6: “At this point, they're expiring at the beginning of September. Nothing has changed on that front, but a final decision has not been made.” Even if Biden decides he wants to change course, Congress would need to pass legislation. And a bill to extend unemployment benefits would almost certainly face universal GOP opposition. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has also spoken out against extending pandemic jobless aid programs, dashing the chance of an extension through the pending reconciliation spending bill that would require only a simple majority for passage in the 50-50 Senate.
