South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has refused President Trump’s $400 federal jobless aid, citing a strong economy where 80% of residents have ‘got their jobs back.’
Noem’s decision to forgo Trump’s unemployment aid, which was laid out in an Aug. 8 executive order, has drawn criticism from Democrats and major newspapers alike.
In a recent statement, Noem declared, “My administration is very grateful for the additional flexibility that this effort would have provided, but South Dakota is in the fortunate position of not needing to accept it.”
Noem further added, “South Dakota’s economy, having never been shut down, has recovered nearly 80% of our job losses. South Dakota is the only state in the nation that didn’t have extended benefits kick in because our insured unemployment rate has been the lowest in the nation.”
Noem had decided to avoid shutting down South Dakota’s economy at the start of the pandemic. The decision has drawn interest from business owners across the country as they continue to navigate statewide lockdowns and a lack of customers.
