Senate GOP, White House consider side deal to extend unemployment benefits

Senate Republicans and negotiators from the Trump administration are considering a short-term extension of supplemental unemployment benefits, which are set to expire on July 31, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) confirmed to reporters Wednesday.

Why it matters: A chaotic Senate Republican lunch on Tuesday revealed that the White House and GOP senators remain far apart on key priorities in the next economic package and that it's unlikely a bill will be passed by the end of next week.

The state of play: The $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed by Congress in March created an extra $600 per week in unemployment insurance, which has helped prop up an economy ravaged by coronavirus-related closures.

• More than 32 million Americans are currently receiving some form of unemployment benefits, according to Labor Department data released last week.
• Many Republicans have voiced concerns that the supplemental benefits have disincentivized people to return to work because the enhanced unemployment pays more than their wages.
• The length and details of the possible extension being negotiated are not yet clear.

Worth noting: While extending the expanded unemployment benefits are a priority for congressional Democrats, there's no guarantee that they would agree to back a short-term fix without additional concessions from Republicans.

Go deeper: White House, Senate Republicans far apart on stimulus talks