DNC Chair and former labor secretary Tom Perez released the following statement after over 1.8 million more Americans filed initial claims for unemployment last week:

“As many as 31.3 million Americans are receiving some form of unemployment relief and layoffs surged by over 50% last month. For an unprecedented 20th consecutive week, more than a million Americans have filed new unemployment claims. And now that Republicans have let enhanced unemployment aid expire, economists expect even greater economic devastation for millions of families – all while our nation approaches 160,000 deaths from COVID-19. The failed leadership of Donald Trump is all that stands between catastrophe and recovery. Americans simply can’t afford four more years of his incompetence. They deserve a president who will repair the soul of our nation, revitalize our economy, end this pandemic, and put Americans back to work safely. They deserve Joe Biden.”