Joe Manchin Scores Win As Unemployment Benefits Reduced to $300 a Week in Stimulus Bill

Senate Democrats appear to have reached a deal to reduce the weekly federal unemployment payments from $400 to $300 as part of the new $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package.

The House of Representatives passed the stimulus package last week with weekly federal unemployment payments set at $400, but moderate Democrats like Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia have voiced preferences to lower the weekly payments to $300.

Reports by Politico and the Wall Street Journal said Senate Democrats agreed to a deal to make that reduction official during a Senate floor debate on Friday. The agreement gives moderate Democrats like Manchin and Delaware Senator Tom Carper, who was expected to introduce the reduction in an amendment on Friday, a win as debate over the bill moves forward.

Manchin previously told reporters that raising the benefits to $400 a week "just doesn't make sense."

"It doesn't incentivize people," Manchin said. "It'd be awful for the doors to open up and there's no one working. You got a lot of customers, no one working. That's the problem." The senator added that the $300 weekly benefits gained his support because it's "consistent" with what the previous COVID-19 aid package issued to those currently unemployed due to the pandemic.

While Manchin signaled his support for the payments to run through August, as is outlined in the bill, Politico reported that Democratic senators brokered a deal for the bonus to run through September 2021.

Newsweek reached out to Manchin's office for comment and will update this article with any response.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.