Sen. Susan Collins blamed Democrats for the stalled COVID-19 relief talks Sunday, while acknowledging the president’s executive power is limited.
“I hope the President’s action will prompt Democratic leaders to negotiate seriously to reach a much-needed agreement to help struggling families, seniors, schools, businesses, municipalities and the USPS with this persistent pandemic,” the Maine Republican said in a statement. “Three times, Senate Democratic leaders blocked extending extra unemployment benefits to prevent their expiration during the negotiations.”
Top Democrats rejected any offers for temporary extensions of boosted unemployment benefits, arguing a piecemeal approach wasn’t sufficient.
Ms. Collins, one of the co-authors of the initial Paycheck Protection Program that gave aid to struggling small businesses, also lamented that the program expired on Saturday since the president cannot extend it via executive action.
“Congress must act quickly. There are constitutional limits on what the President can do to help through executive orders,” she said.
