WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi rejected on Friday the idea of a temporary extension to enhanced unemployment benefits, which expire on July 31, while Congress continues work on a new coronavirus relief bill. <\/p>\n

\u201cI would be very much averse to separating this (unemployment benefits) out and lose all leverage (on Republicans) for … meeting all of the other needs,\u201d as lawmakers negotiate another coronavirus aid bill, Pelosi, a Democrat, told reporters. <\/p>\n

Enhanced unemployment benefits that Congress authorized early in the coronavirus pandemic expire in one week\u2019s time, and lawmakers have been unable to agree on a measure to extend them. The benefits provide an extra $600 a week on top of what states are already paying tens of millions of jobless workers. <\/p>\n

The House of Representatives in May passed a proposed $3 trillion coronavirus response plan, which among other things would extend the extra unemployment benefits through January. The Republican-run Senate has declined to take up the House plan, and has not produced an alternative. <\/p>\n

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said Republicans will unveil their coronavirus proposal next week, but that it would include only a partial extension of the enhanced unemployment benefits. <\/p>\n

McConnell said Friday, however, that it could take several weeks for lawmakers to reach a deal. \u201cHopefully we can come together behind some package we can agree on in the next few weeks,\u201d he said at an event in Ashland, Kentucky, the Washington Post reported. <\/p>\n

Pelosi also told reporters an amusing story that illustrated public concern about Congress\u2019s next steps. <\/p>\n