About that $400 in Unemployment Benefits

For many Texans receiving unemployment benefits, that extra $600 per week was a life saver. Since that expired at the end of July with no deal to extend it from Congress, President Trump issued an executive order extending unemployment benefits at $400 a week. $300 of that would be provided by the federal government with the other $100 to be provided by the state.

That's were the confusion sets in in. Texas leaders are not saying if the state will pay that extra $100.

Gov. Greg Abbott is hoping that Congress will reach a deal to fully fund the $400. Abbott told KAUZ in Wichita Falls,

"The Trump administration continues to negotiate with the Democrats in the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House on a reformed package that would provide full funding for those unemployment benefits. I will think that what will eventually happen is that the Trump administration and the Democrats will reach a deal.”

Governors across the country are urging Congress to reach a deal to extend the program legislatively. As of Monday, no agreements had been reached.

CNN reported that the U.S. Department of Labor issued guidance that said that states could count the money they are already giving for unemployment benefits towards the $100 they are required to contribute. That would mean that Texas would only have to pay out $300 instead of the $400 President Trump mentioned in his executive order.

As for the two Texas senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn are split on the additional payments. Cornyn is in favor of the additional money while Cruz is not.

Time will tell how this plays out. Meanwhile, families are waiting for the answers as well.