WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the following Wednesday after voting against the unamended House coronavirus bill:

“Although I want to provide immediate financial support to Americans and American businesses affected by the coronavirus, I voted no on HR 6201 because the Senate failed to address the major problem with the bill that was eminently fixable.  

“My amendment, which received bipartisan support but not enough to be adopted, would have removed mandatory burdens on employers, temporarily expanded eligibility, and waived the waiting period for state unemployment benefits and increased state benefits to provide two-thirds of actual wages up to $1,000 per week. It also would have reimbursed employers with fewer than 500 employees who voluntarily provide paid sick and family leave to employees affected by the coronavirus. 

“Now that the House bill passed unamended, laid-off workers will get far less from state benefits, and many employers will be forced to shoulder a financial burden they cannot afford.”

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