WASHINGTON, D.C. (KERO) — House Republicans went after Speaker Nancy Pelosi Thursday morning on the steps of the U.S. Capitol for stalling the passage of a stimulus relief bill. Minority leader and local congressman Kevin McCarthy led the charge, calling it a deliberate act motivated by political games.
"The time is now to work. There's an opportunity to get it done now. I know more than 40 times you said. But today we would hope you say yes. How many more businesses have to shutter? How many more dreams have to be shattered? How many more people have to be laid off before Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats will act," asked McCarthy. "I'll promise you this, Republicans will continue to work in good faith just as we put forth bills again and again that the Democrats have voted no on. Just as we worked with the Senate and the White House, just as we know there's an opportunity to help those who need it most and stop playing politics."
Members of Congress have been working on a stimulus deal before the end of the year when more jobs programs are set to expire.
Meanwhile, unemployment claims in the U.S. have hit their highest level since mid-September. The Labor Department reported Thursday another 853,000 Americans filed for first-time unemployment benefits last week on a seasonally-adjusted basis.
That's the third increase in the past four weeks.
As for continued jobless claims, they rose to 5.8 million with seasonal adjustments. That's the count for workers who have filed for unemployment benefits for at least two weeks in a row.
