Senator Ernst's Amendment to Prevent Millionaires from Receiving Unemployment Benefits

Senator Ernst's Amendment

• 💡 Senator Joni Ernst proposed an amendment to disqualify individuals earning $1 million or more from receiving unemployment benefits.
• 🎯 The amendment aims to stop "out of work millionaires" from collecting government checks while simultaneously earning significant income from other ventures.

Unemployment Benefits Data

• 📊 In the first two years of the Biden administration, thousands of millionaires received over $271 million in unemployment assistance.
• 💰 In 2022 alone, nearly 6,000 millionaires were paid approximately $58 million in jobless benefits, averaging about $10,000 each.

Rationale and Opposition

• 💰 Ernst argued that able-bodied millionaires should not receive "handouts" funded by "overtaxed and overworked Americans."
• 📉 Her amendment seeks to save an estimated $100 million and reduce the national deficit by getting millionaires back to work.
• ⚠️ Senator Morgan opposed the amendment, viewing it as a "backdoor way to undermine unemployment insurance" and a step towards Republicans cutting social safety net programs.

Vote Outcome

• ✅ The amendment was agreed to by a voice vote, with the "ayes" appearing to have it.