WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed a series of executive orders Saturday to address economic concerns during the pandemic. His actions, though, are being questions for their legality, after Congress failed to reach a deal on coronavirus relief this week.
The orders defer payroll taxes and extend a federal unemployment benefit that had expired. Trump said he used the powers of the presidency to issue the orders on tax and spending policy. However, these are areas of legislating granted to Congress in the Constitution.
Critics note that the orders cut federal spending and put more of the burden on states that are already struggling, the Associated Press reports.
In Michigan, Democratic lawmakers are criticizing the executive orders.
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters said the actions "fall short" of what Michigan families and small businesses need.
"I am disappointed the President chose to act unilaterally instead of doing the hard work to reach a bipartisan agreement with Congress," a statement read in part. "He alone cannot fix this crisis — it will continue to take everyone working together to provide robust federal unemployment benefits for those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own because of this pandemic and to deliver relief for families, small businesses and schools working to safely teach students."
Sen. Debbie Stabenow said the orders are a "cruel political game," noting that the $400 a week unemployment benefit--down from $600--is still a cut for Americans out of work.
Under the order, states would also have to supply 25% of the extra unemployment funding, in addition to the unemployment payments they are already issuing.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also published a statement Sunday in response to the orders. She says the executive actions show the president is more focused on his re-election than addressing COVID-19.
"The president’s recent actions do nothing to protect the millions of unemployed Americans who need to put food on the table for themselves and their families. He cut federal funding for unemployed workers and is requiring states that are facing severe holes in our budgets to provide 25% of the funding," Whitmer's statement read in part.
The objections also came from one of the president's loudest Michigan critics: U.S. Rep. Justin Amash, a Libertarian from Cascade Township.
"Our Constitution doesn’t authorize the president to act as king whenever Congress doesn’t legislate," he tweeted shortly after Trump announced the orders during a Saturday afternoon press briefing at his New Jersey golf club.
Amash also pointed out that he criticized President Barack Obama when he issued executive orders in 2013. Trump, himself, has also condemned Obama for using executive orders.
The executive orders also don't include some issues that Congress was trying to address, like funding for schools and state and local governments.
The orders “will take care of pretty much this entire situation, as we know it," Trump said. But they offer less relief than what Congressional Republicans and Democrats were negotiating.
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