Stimulus talks: Democrats face key choice in lean deal as relief talks enter crucial week

by

This decision was not an easy one for Democrats who rejected big plans before the election.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, along with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, has made the war for aid to states and territories the centerpiece of their rescue package, arguing that federal dollars will prevent deeper job losses for workers providing key services. Never considered.
But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has made it clear that he does not think aid to states and cities can win Senate support, with top Republicans arguing that money will be wasted by many states and cities. With liability liabilities for businesses and others due to a lack of bipartisan consensus, McConnell has suggested that the new year should help – an issue he has long raised – instead Congress should be zero on a narrow set.

Leaders in Congress should make an immediate decision on what rules should be included in the spending package to keep the government open last Friday, but there is still no consensus on how to proceed.

The bipartisan committee is expected to release the 2 part plan on Monday

On Monday afternoon, Democrats will face that choice because bipartisan councilors and senators are releasing a plan they have been drafting for weeks. The bipartisan group is expected to split their long-awaited plan into two parts: a $ 748 billion plan with emergency items such as small business loans, unemployment benefits and money for vaccine distribution. They will have a second plan: billion 160 billion for state and local assistance and a better GOP priority case protection.

But there is a problem: Democrats are mocking the $ 160 billion package because they believe the lawsuits are too big, with evidence of controversy, and are pushing to change the plan before details are released late Monday.

Republicans in the group have approved the $ 160 billion package, but so far the only Democrat to support it is West Virginia Sen. Sources said that only Joe Manzin. Republicans on the group will back state and local aid – as many in their convention oppose – if there is an agreement on accountability protection.

When asked on Sunday if he was willing to drop state and local aid to get a contract, Schumer avoided the question.

“I’m not going to do any negotiations here in public,” Schumer said in New York. “As you know, I believe state and local help is very important to do something. There are a lot of things that are essential to get things done, but I’m not negotiating in public.”

In a phone call with Treasury Secretary Steven Munucci, Pelosi again put forward his case for further assistance to states and cities – making changes to the liability protections proposed by Republicans.

“Health care workers and first responders risk their lives to save lives, while at the same time risking losing their jobs without state and local support,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hum tweeted. “The Speaker reiterated his view that a compromise must be reached on the issue of accountability, which does not affect the safety of workers.”

The government-funded deadline is Friday

Faced with a government funding deadline on Friday, congressional leaders are trying to avoid passing another stop, instead passing a $ 1.4 trillion massive spending bill to keep federal systems afloat until September 2021.

Both Pelosi and McConnell have said they want to use the bill as their legislative vehicle to carry out important relief efforts after a months-long stalemate in Washington, and that the economic crisis will continue to ravage the country. The big question is whether they will eventually decide to add.

But the $ 48,748 billion bipartisan proposal offers many options for leaders to choose from. That package proposes:

  • $ 300 billion for small business loans
  • $ 35 billion for health care providers
  • 6 2.6 billion for disease control and prevention centers for vaccine distribution and infrastructure
  • 4 3.4 billion for grants to states and cities to help with vaccination efforts
  • 7 billion for grants to states for corona virus testing and communication tracking
  • 82 billion for schools and other education providers
  • 25 billion for rental assistance and an increase for food stamps
  • The eviction ban extends until the end of January 2021
  • Extends student loan tolerance until April 2021
  • Offers $ 300 unemployment benefits per week for 16 weeks
What is not included in the plan: Another round of 200 1,200 trigger checks for individuals within a certain income limit, the White House was heavily lobbying over the weekend, sources told CNN. It remains to be seen if Congress leaders will issue more provocative checks on the omnipotent package to encourage President Donald Trump to sign.

The $ 748 billion plan will be approved by Republicans and Democrats who are part of the bipartisan negotiating team, which has publicly endorsed the group’s efforts to find a deal. If this appears to be the only action that can be signed into law, they may be forced to choose between the rules of liability they do not want or may abandon state and local aid altogether.

On Sunday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer did not say whether state and local aid would be ready to drop, but suggested it was a possibility.

“We have to act,” Hoyer told CNN’s Insight Politics. “Further acting means that we are not going to get everything we want. We think the state and the locals are important. If we can get it, we want to get it. But we really want to help people, who are really struggling and are in great danger.”

Hower added: “Life is about continuous exchanges and payments.”

.Source

Leave a Comment