Senator Tillis yesterday tried to blame extended unemployment benefits for making it “difficult to have people safely return back to work,” a baseless claim that reveals Tillis’ continued opposition to benefits North Carolinians have described as a “lifeline” and his unwillingness to hold the administration accountable for its failed coronavirus response.

As Tillis attacks those out of work because of a pandemic, reports continue to show that the “lack of a national testing strategy may be the single biggest government failure, adding to the spread of the disease and slowing down the economic recovery.” That failure — not extended benefits — is making it “difficult to have people safely return back to work,” yet Senator Tillis refuses to hold this administration accountable.

Worse for North Carolinians out of work, the limited benefits Trump has offered “may only provide [a] three week boost” and includes such “confusing criteria” that some states worry it will “prevent them from sending any new aid at all.”

Meanwhile, editorial boards continue to slam Tillis over his role blocking unemployment benefits and after he “enacted the stingiest unemployment benefits in the nation.” Tillis and Congress “failed to do as it should and extend the $600 benefits.”

“Senator Tillis’ and the federal government’s failure to address the coronavirus pandemic is what’s keeping people from safely returning back to work, not extended unemployment benefits,” NCDP spokesperson Robert Howard said. “Senator Tillis is too weak to hold this administration accountable for their failed coronavirus response and is instead blaming North Carolinians out of work through no fault of their own who continue to wait for Tillis’ help.”