Congress negotiators were close to arming me to finalize a $ 900 billion assistance plan to offset the economic effects of COVID-19 that would provide additional subsidies to companies for the protection of their payroll, as well as weekly payments of $ 300 per copy and one of about $ 600 of stimulus to most Americans.
This long-running measure came to fruition after the dissenting parties in the Capitol finally finalized difficult negotiated solutions, often at the expense of more ambitious Democrats’ demands for the bill, in order to complete the second assistance plan. large scale in the face of the pandemic.
This is the first major legislative response to the coronavirus since the historic CARES law in March, which will deliver $ 1.8 trillion in assistance and more generous unemployment benefits and direct payments to individuals.
Since then, Democrats have spoken out in favor of ambitious new federal measures to provide relief to the population and combat the pandemic.
For their part, Republicans have pushed for a further reopening of the economy and prevented an increase in government debt, which would dry up to $ 27 million.
However, President-elect Joe Biden wants an assistance plan to prop up the economy and deliver direct assistance to the unemployed and hungry, when he falls short of what Democrats want.
Biden described the emerging plan as “a major down payment” and promoted more aid for next year. Republicans are also looking forward to approving some assistance before going on year-end vacation.
“We have made significant progress in implementing a bipartisan plan to attend,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told reporters in the morning.
And during the Republican call for lunch in the upper house a day earlier, partisan leaders stressed the importance of reaching an agreement ahead of the next Senate tiebreaker election in Georgia, according to a close person who will participate in the private call. requested anonymity.
Details were yet to be determined, but lawmakers from both parties said leaders had agreed on a total of about $ 900 billion, with direct questionnaire payments of $ 600 to most Americans and a good federal weekly for to the $ 300 copies that will partially replace a $ 600 weekly grant that expired this summer.
It also includes the renewal of additional weeks of state unemployment benefits for those who have not been employed for some time.
Grants of more than $ 300 billion to companies, including a second round of payroll protection payments for the hardest-hit businesses, are included in the package.
Democrats said the elimination of a $ 160 billion assistance plan for state and local governments whose budgets have been unbalanced due to the pandemic was a huge loss.
“It’s heartbreaking for us,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, with his state with major tax problems.
The assistance package was attractive to add other points, and both parties continued to exchange proposals.
And it seemed clear that another temporary spending initiative would be needed to prevent a government shutdown on Friday at midnight. It will probably be approved easily.