How much could you receive if the stimulus plan is approved?
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(CNN) -
Although Congress approved a $ 900 billion covid aid package, millions of Americans are in danger of losing significant benefits right after the holidays if President Donald Trump continues to refuse to sign the bill. .
The legislation would expand two pandemic unemployment programs and provide the unemployed with a weekly federal boost of $ 300 through mid-March.
It would send direct payments of up to $ 600 per person.
It would reopen the Paycheck Protection Program so some of the worst-hit small businesses can apply for a second loan.
The package would be the second largest aid deal after the $ 2 billion CARES Act that Congress passed in March.
It would also expand protection against eviction and improve food stamp benefits.
This is what is at risk if the bill is not signed.
Expanded unemployment benefits would be lost
More than 12 million fired Americans could lose their unemployment benefits after this weekend if Trump doesn't sign the bill.
And even if you do, they are likely to experience a multi-week break in payments.
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As part of the historic expansion of unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, lawmakers created three programs to help unemployed Americans.
While the $ 600 payment upgrade lasted only through July, the other two expire just after Christmas.
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program allows independent contractors, freelancers, and concert workers to qualify for payments.
It also opens the program to those unable to work due to the pandemic, even if they or their family members are ill or in quarantine or if their children's schools are closed.
About 9.3 million people filed claims under this program in early December, according to the latest data from the Labor Department.
In addition, Congress created the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which provides an additional 13 weeks of benefits paid by the federal government to those left without state payments, typically lasting 26 weeks.
Nearly 4.8 million unemployed workers were in this program at the beginning of this month, according to the Labor Department.
If these two key programs expire, payments would end for more than 12 million Americans, according to an analysis by The Century Foundation.
But even if Trump signs the legislation, it would take a few weeks for state unemployment agencies to reprogram their computers to continue these two programs and add the new weekly federal boost of $ 300, said Michele Evermore, senior policy analyst at the National Employment Project. of Law. First they would have to receive orientation from the Department of Labor with the new rules.
While the benefits would be retroactive, the unemployed would be left without any payments until their statuses are ready.
US Unemployment Assistance Claims Pick Up 1:14
Protection against eviction would be lost
An order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that went into effect in September temporarily halted the evictions until the end of the year.
The order, which was prompted by an executive order Trump signed over the summer, applies to tenants who meet certain income requirements, have experienced significant income losses, and have made their best efforts to find rental assistance and pay the rent. rental.
Since the order does not cancel or freeze the rent, all of the tenant's back rent will expire on January 1 if the moratorium is allowed to expire.
Without rent relief or an extension of protection, many distressed tenants will face eviction again.
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An estimated 9.2 million tenants who have lost income from work during the pandemic are behind with their rent, or 23% of those tenants, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Center for Budget Priorities. and Politics.
The aid package would extend protection against eviction through January 31 and provide $ 25 billion in rental assistance for those who lost their sources of income during the pandemic.
Coronavirus Relief Funds for States
Congress provided $ 150 billion to state and local governments to help cover expenses related to the coronavirus.
But states have to use those funds by Dec. 30.
States are on track to spend all the funds before the deadline, according to a survey by the National Association of Governors of 42 states and territories.
Most of the money has been used for expenses related to health, financial aid, education and child care, and government expenses.
The package would give states and localities an extra year to spend the money.
- CNN's Katie Lobosco contributed to this story.
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