July 16, 2020
Dear Florida’s Congressional Delegation,
I write to you with a sense of urgency requesting that you extend the $600 Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program for Americans across this country.
Set to expire at the end of this month, FPUC has saved lives and prevented millions of people from facing eviction and homelessness. Florida has one of the lowest Weekly Benefit Amounts for unemployment insurance in the nation. This amount is capped at $275 per week, meaning that without FPUC the most a Floridian can receive from their regular unemployment compensation is $275 a week.
We cannot expect Floridians to survive any day — let alone a pandemic — with this type of weak safety net. The unemployment system itself has been plagued with problems, and as I write this letter there are Floridians who still have not seen a penny since COVID-19 began. According to the DEO’s own figures, 256,291 people were waiting as of Tuesday for the agency to declare them eligible for benefits.
It’s important to note that as unemployment claims have skyrocketed across the country, the poverty rate has not. Instead, according to one study, it has fallen about 2% since the pandemic began. FPUC benefits combined with the direct cash assistant Congress approved in late March via the CARES Act have helped to reduce poverty in America.
Don’t set us back. Don’t make this harder than it already is. Extend FPUC payments until at least the end of the year and ensure Floridians and their families will have the support they need during this pandemic.
I know that the U.S. House has already approved plans to extend FPUC but the U.S. Senate has not. Please take action now– Floridians are counting on you.
Sincerely,
Representative Anna V. Eskamani
Florida House of Representatives, District 47