Cotton Bill to Block Unemployment Funds for Rioters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold  (202) 734-0430

August 31, 2020

Cotton Bill to Block Unemployment Funds for Rioters

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) has introduced the Support Peaceful Protest Act, a bill that would make people convicted of federal offenses as part of riots ineligible for virus-related federal unemployment funds. It would also mandate that those convicted of such riot offenses face fines to help cover the cost of federal policing of these riots.

 Representative Jim Banks (R-Indiana) originally introduced the bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Currently, thugs and insurrectionists savaging communities around the country are eligible for unemployment benefits, paid for by the very taxpayers whose property they’ve destroyed. The federal government should not be subsidizing looting and arson. Our bill will not only halt unemployment benefits for rioters but also fine them to help cover additional policing cost,” said Cotton.