PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — With the COVID-19 relief bill in limbo and unemployment benefits expiring, there are many in our region concerned about how they are going to pay their bills.
Pennsylvania officials, however, say help is available, and are strongly encouraging residents using expiring programs to seek other forms of assistance.
$900 billion for COVID-19 relief is part of the $2.3 trillion omnibus spending bill. President Donald Trump has yet to sign that into law.
The bill passed both chambers of Congress on Monday but the president made clear his displeasure with its $600 direct payment per individual. He wants to raise that to $2,000 per person.
House Democrats scheduled a vote on Thursday to increase the payment but the House Republicans killed the bill.
With no deal, unemployment benefits expire this weekend.
And many area residents without a job, like Randy Williams, are worried.
"I try not to dwell on the what if, what will I do next, because to be honest, I ran out of what I am going to do next," Williams told NBC 10.
More than 500,000 people statewide are receiving unemployment benefits, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
L&I said the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation claimants will experience several weeks between the time the program extension is ultimately signed into legislation and payments resume.
"The mechanism to actually go in to file a claim through these programs is going to be turned off," explained Sarah DeSantis, the department's press secretary.
"People who are in the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation, a lot of them will be rolled over to the extended benefits program. It will happen automatically, but for other claimants who don't have any eligibility anymore, they won't be able to continue filing."
Help is available for qualified applicants with things like health insurance, food banks and pantries, and low income home energy assistance.
There are also resources and tips on financial help for credit cards, mortgages and rent payments. As this is obviously adding to a lot of stress for many, mental health resources are available as well.
Information on these programs are available on the state's website.
House Democrats plan to vote on a standalone bill Monday that would provide direct payments to $2,000 per person.