Some Republicans are complaining that the special unemployment insurance Congress created to confront the coronavirus pandemic makes it too easy for workers to do what public health officials say theyre supposed to do: stay home.

Republicans say the new benefit is doing exactly what they warned about last month making it difficult for some businesses to keep their workers.

The Senators were attacked in the media, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called them cruel. But they turned out to be right, wrote the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal , a line that was later tweeted by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

I want to make people whole who lost their job through no fault of their own, Graham said in another tweet . But I dont want to pay people more NOT to work than to actually go to work.

As part of its $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill, Congress expanded eligibility for benefits to workers not traditionally covered, such as Uber drivers and other independent contractors who are not payroll employees. And for four months, claimants will receive an extra $600 per week on top of their regular benefits an unprecedented boost that for some lower-paid workers does indeed exceed their previous pay.

But theres a reason to pay people more not to work: to keep them from dying. To keep them from spreading a highly contagious virus that has already killed 50,000 Americans , and to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by patients suffering from an illness that is not well understood.

This is not normal times where were trying to partially cover your consumption and give you incentive to search for work, said Lawrence Katz, a Harvard University economics professor.

Unemployment insurance is designed to maintain individuals well-being and consumption patterns, boosting the economy in the process. Workers are normally required to continue looking for jobs as a condition of receiving benefits, but Congress has told states, which administer unemployment insurance, to waive work search requirements.

Were sending a sharp and clear signal that only essential work should be going on, Katz said. Were implicitly saying that the externality from your going to work and creating danger is very high and this is the time to stay at home.

Graham, as well as GOP Sens. Rick Scott (Fla.), Tim Scott (S.C.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.), tried to limit the amount of the new benefit, but the Senate voted to reject their effort before ultimately passing the legislation.