South Dakota’s Noem rejects Trump’s unemployment plan

August 17, 2020

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has spurned President Donald Trump’s order to extend federal unemployment benefits by $400 a week, saying that the state does not need the program.

Trump last week attempted to bypass Congress in ordering states to extend additional unemployment payments of up to $400 a week to help cushion the economic fallout of the pandemic.

Under Trump’s plan, the extra unemployment benefit would require a state to commit to providing $100.

It was unclear if Trump had the constitutional authority to extend federal unemployment benefits.

The Republican governor says that South Dakota does not need the extra unemployment benefits.