Trump economic advisor says White House is seeking ‘back to work’ cash incentives for unemployed Americans

Andrea Hanks/White House

White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told Fox News that the Trump administration is considering “back to work” cash bonuses to encourage Americans to go back to work.

“It’s something we are looking at very carefully,” Kudlow said. Kudlow also discussed the $600 Americans are getting a week for unemployment let Americans stay home from work. “The trouble with the $600 plus-up, and maybe we needed it in that emergency period, but frankly it’s a major disincentive to go back to work and we don’t want that. We want people to go back to work.

The remarks come in response to a proposal set by Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to incentivize Americans back to work by checks instead of the expanded unemployment program set to run until the end of July.

The proposal comes in opposition to the $3 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill passed earlier this month by House Democrats that would extended the unemployment boost through January.

Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said last week the boosted unemployment “will not be in the next bill,” the Wall Street Journal reports. 

In addition, McConnell told Fox News “in order to create jobs, we need to incentivize people to go back to work, not encourage them to stay home.”