Governor Brown is so busy trying to outwit President Trump, she is ignoring his executive order to made available an additional $300 dollar a week grant program for unemployed families.

Representative David Brock Smith (R-Port Orford) calls on the Governor and Democrat super-majority to direct the Oregon Employment Department to apply for the additional federal $300 dollar a week Unemployment Grant Program that is available. “Oregon families continue to struggle to pay for basic needs, as Governor Brown’s Executive Orders in response to COVID have crippled Oregon’s economy and have left hundreds of thousands of Oregonians unemployed,” said Rep. Brock Smith. “Although the Legislature has taken steps to increase the UI benefits for Oregonians, the failure of the Governor and super-majority to direct the Employment Department to apply for the available additional federal grants to assist these same struggling working families is deplorable,” he said. “The Oregonian recently reported, ‘Oregon could also apply for the $300 weekly grant, but opt not to pay the extra $100 boost,’ and I call on the Governor to forgo the additional $100 from the state and immediately act on the additional federal benefits to get them in the hands of Oregonians as soon as possible.”

As the Governor rolls back on further opening up the state by Executive Order 20-30, she extends her powers under a state of emergency, and she rolls back support. The federal CARES Act of $600 weekly bonus to unemployment expired the end of July, putting families in a dire situation. Instead of passing through a $300 extension, she sits on it.

Instead of passing on $300 weekly for all unemployed, The Governor chooses to pay out a $500 one-time payment to lower income people. Speaker Tina Kotek said. “We have to get more money to help people.” What is she waiting for? Playing games with the President’s Executive Order does nothing to boost the economy, because families that had a modest income don’t qualify. Instead it depresses the economy by allowing those refusing to return to work another month. Restaurant owners are begging their employees to come back to work – this will not help them.

Governor Brown extended Executive Order 20-06 and 20-15 on abnormal market disruption regarding price gouging. However, by refusing to pass along the $300 extension to the unemployed, she is found guilty of her own order gouging people in need of relief.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2020-08-22 08:03:15

Last Update: 2020-08-22 08:29:24