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Democratic leader Schumer criticizes Trump’s call for $1,000 checks

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Schumer, (D-NY) speaks during a news briefing of the COVID-19 at the City Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York
FILE PHOTO: U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY) speaks during a news briefing of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the City Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., March 14, 2020. (REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)

BY RICHARD COWAN

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer on Wednesday warned of an economic recession as the coronavirus spreads through the country and criticized the Trump administration’s latest call for issuing $1,000 checks to Americans in response.

“The coronavirus is slowing our economy to a near standstill and we are almost certainly anticipating a recession,” Schumer said in a speech on the Senate floor. He added that expanded unemployment benefits would be a more effective way of helping workers than a $1,000 check from Washington.