White House acts while congressional gridlock continues

When the July 31 deadlines for the termination of supplemental unemployment benefits and an eviction moratorium passed with no congressional compromise in sight, the White House, which had been a participant in the negotiations, decided it couldn’t launch a reelection campaign with millions of Americans facing penury and homelessness because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, on August 8, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order and three Executive Memoranda seeking to address the unemployment insurance (UI) and eviction situations and adding employee payroll tax and student debt interest relief to the package. The effectiveness of the actions remains unclear. Read on to learn the details.

Executive actions

Some of the presidential measures went beyond what the U.S. Senate was considering (UI benefits), and others were widely opposed (payroll tax deferment), suggesting the Republican senators’ position on pandemic relief is perhaps more unresolved than ever. Nevertheless, President Trump’s ability and willingness to use his executive authority is certain. Here are the main steps he took: