house Resolution No.295
Rep. Sabo offered the following resolution:
Whereas, The COVID-19 Pandemic has impacted every American. Since the first confirmed cases early this year, more than 3 million Americans have been infected and more than 130,000 have died. In Michigan alone, tens of thousands of cases and more than 6,000 deaths have been confirmed; and
Whereas, The Pandemic has caused significant economic disruption. In order to mitigate the virus' spread, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and public officials throughout the country ordered all residents to stay home, except for essential activities, and mandated the closure of schools and all nonessential businesses. As a result, tens of millions of workers have filed for unemployment benefits since the crisis began, including more than 2 million in Michigan; and
Whereas, In order to supplement state unemployment benefits, Congress created the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. The FPUC program was created as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and provides an additional $600 per week to those receiving unemployment benefits; and
Whereas, While the FPUC program is set to expire July 31, the Pandemic has shown no signs of slowing down. Nationwide, more than 50,000 new cases continue to be reported each day. In Michigan, daily cases have begun to increase for the first time in more than a month; and
Whereas, Allowing the FPUC to expire will drastically reduce benefits and force Michigan residents to make difficult and unnecessary choices. The $600 weekly FPUC payment makes up the vast majority of benefits for Michigan's unemployment claimants, including nearly two-thirds of benefits for those receiving the maximum weekly state payment. Depriving residents of these resources will have a devastating impact on Michigan families, impacting their ability to put food on their tables and pay their bills, and will force them to decide which essentials they can afford and which they will have to live without; and
Whereas, Allowing the FPUC to expire will have a disproportionately devastating impact on many low-wage workers and minorities who face mounting bills, including back rent and other major expenses, as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. The increased income provided by the FPUC is a lifeline that all too often separates these workers and their families from homelessness; and
Whereas, Allowing the FPUC program to expire will hurt communities across the nation and slow Michigan's and the nation's economic recovery. The FPUC has been supporting as many as 2.8 million jobs nationwide. Reducing the spending power of unemployed Michigan residents by more than 60 percent will negatively impact businesses and our state’s economy and force even more closures and layoffs. It is estimated that the loss of the FPUC will cost more than 5 million jobs nationwide over the next year, including nearly 195,000 jobs in Michigan; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the President and Congress of the United States to enact legislation extending the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program; and be it further
Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the President of the United States Senate, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.