NEW YORK, July 30 (Xinhua) -- As the 600 U.S.-dollar weekly federal unemployment benefit is set to expire Friday, New Yorkers have an opportunity to get extra unemployment benefits for additional five months, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said on Thursday.
Eligible New York State residents will have an opportunity to get additional unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks, the mayor said at his daily briefing.
"While our federal government isn't acting, I want to give credit to New York State," the mayor said.
As part of the 2.2-trillion-dollar coronavirus relief bill passed in late March, U.S. Congress agreed to provide the 600-dollar federal unemployment benefit per week on top of state unemployment benefits, which are set to expire at the end of July.
Currently,Republicans and Democrats remain far apart on the next COVID-19 relief bill. Senate Republicans have proposed slashing the federal unemployment benefit to 200 dollars through September, while Democrats want to maintain the current level of benefits through January.
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