Bipartisan Lawmakers Reveal Stimulus Details As McConnell, Pelosi Signal Progress

Source: https://www.zerohedge.com/political/bipartisan-lawmakers-reveal-stimulus-details-mcconnell-pelosi-signal-progress
Published: Dec 15, 2020
Author: Tyler Durden
Post Date: 2020-12-15 16:19:31 by Horse
Views: 147

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers have finally revealed the details of their stimulus compromise, which will come in two packages totaling $908 billion.

The larger bill is a $748 billion package which would fund an array of programs that both sides agree on - such as a revival of federal unemployment payments, the PPP, and funding for vaccine distribution, schools, food aid, and other institutions drowning due to the pandemic.

The second measure, set at $160 billion, seeks to satisfy both sides with compromises on major sticking points - namely bolstering aid to state and local governments, married with a temporary COVID-19 liability shield for businesses, nonprofits, schools and hospitals according to the New York Times.

The relief plan would include additional unemployment assistance of $300 per week for 16 weeks.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) had previously proposed scrapping the two sticking points in exchange for a narrow stimulus measure, while Democrats have pushed back against a corporate liability shield which they say might harm worker protections. Republicans, meanwhile, have long-held that bailing out states and local governments is simply a "blue state bailout" for poorly-run Democratic strongholds.

According to Politico's Jake Sherman, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that Democrats are "still insistent on state and local aid," adding that the negotiators "want to file the omnibus spending bill today, and covid relief bill tomorrow."

McConnell, meanwhile, says it's time for the GOP and Democrats to find consensus on COVID-19 relief before the holidays.

Sherman is less confident that a deal can get done by Friday, when the federal government is set to run out of money. He suggests that the Friday deadline "seems tough, since all senators would need to consent for a quick debate and vote," but that the chamber might stay through the weekend for a short-term stopgap.

If Congress needs a short-term stopgap, then maybe the Senate would stay in for the weekend to get it done. In that scenario, would they give themselves longer to try to reach a Covid deal? Could the government shut down?

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 15, 2020

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#1: ghostdogtxn    To: Horse (#0)

ghostdogtxn posted on 2020-12-15 16:38:26   Reply   Private Reply