Governors Push Back On Trump’s COVID-19 Executive Orders: ‘Makes A Bad Situation Worse’

by Polina KuznetsovaAugust 17, 2020, 11:07 amCongress, Coronavirus, Daily Digest, News, News Feed >

Since President Donald Trump announced coronavirus aid executive actions last week, state governors have raised concerns over budgets and urged Congress to pass a new spending bill.

National Governors Association Chairman, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D-New York), and vice chairman, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R-Arkansas), issued a statement citing “significant administrative burdens and costs” associated with Trump’s plan to issue $400 weekly emergency unemployment financial aid, with states needing to chip in $100 from the cost.

“The best way forward is for the Congress and the Administration to get back to the negotiating table and come up with a workable solution, which should provide meaningful additional relief for American families,” the statement reads.

Cuomo told reporters on Monday that the executive action will cost New York’s budget about $4 billion by the end of the year and deemed the plan unworkable and New Yorkers would end up getting no money.

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“This only makes a bad situation worse,” Cuomo said. “When you are in a hole, stop digging. This executive order only digs the hole deeper.”

Gov. Andy Beshear (D-Kentucky) agreed with Cuomo, saying the plan would cost his state $1.5 billion for the year.

“It’s not workable in its current form,” Beshear said. “It’s something virtually no state can afford.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) also said the plan was too costly for his state, with the expenses estimated to be $700 million a week.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine (R), while defending Trump for “trying to do something” on CNN on Sunday, said he was not sure yet whether his state would pay additional $100 per week to every unemployed person.

“Congress needs to get back in and negotiate,” he added.

Other governors from Arizona, Colorado, Maryland and Michigan said they were waiting for additional guidance from Washington.

Trump told reporters on Monday that they would consider waiving the states’ contributions in some cases.

“We just had a meeting with the governors, and they were very anxious to get money for the people in their states,” Trump said at a White House press conference. “We can terminate the 25 percent, or we don’t have to do that. So we will see what it is – depends on the individual state – but a lot of money will be going to a lot of people very quickly.”