U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) and Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) on May 11 unveiled a bicameral bill that would shorten both the extension and the amount of federal pandemic unemployment compensation payments in order to get Americans back to work.
“There are a record eight million American jobs waiting to be filled and those who want the COVID-19 vaccine have access to it,” Rep. Johnson said. “We need to stop paying people more to sit at home than to work. It’s past time to get America back to work, and our bill does that.”
Rep. Johnson sponsored the Get Americans Back to Work Act, H.R. 3104, with 11 original GOP cosponsors, including Rep. Armstrong. U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) on May 11 sponsored the companion bill, S. 1555, in his chamber along with 12 original Republican cosponsors, including U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Joni Ernst (R-IA).
If enacted, the bill would remove the federal supplemental unemployment benefit by June 30 to help fill United States job openings, which in April reached a record high of 8.1 million, according to the text of the proposed legislation.
“Millions of jobs are now open across the country, and employers are struggling to fill these positions,” Rep. Armstrong said. “In light of this, Governor Burgum made the right decision to end North Dakota’s participation in the federal government’s pandemic-related unemployment assistance programs.
“As our vaccination rate continues to climb, the country must follow North Dakota’s lead and end programs that are hampering our nation’s economic recovery,” added Rep. Armstrong.