Senate Republicans’ Revamped, Scaled-Back Coronavirus Bill Expected Next Week
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, left, accompanied by White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, right, speaks to reporters as they continue to negotiate a coronavirus relief package on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday, Aug. 7, 2020. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
Connecting state and local government leaders
But Democrats and Republicans are still far apart on inclusion of money for state and local governments.
Senate Republicans expect to introduce a revamped coronavirus relief bill next week in a bid to get a new round of aid approved by Congress—a move Trump administration officials said Tuesday is necessary to help the economy recover.
But lingering disagreements over providing additional money to state and local governments continue to be a sticking point between the Trump administration, Senate Republicans and House Democrats.
Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso told PBS NewsHour on Tuesday that lawmakers plan to introduce a narrowly focused bill next week.
“We have a focused, targeted solution that we hope that the House would pass and the House would agree to,” Barrasso said.
While White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said negotiators “are making real progress” on a bill that both parties could support, he said Democrats are still asking to include more money for state and local governments than Republicans believe is necessary.
“The biggest stumbling block that remains is the amount that would go to state and local help,” Meadows said during an interview on CNBC.
Meadows said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi still wants to include $915 billion in direct relief for state and local governments, the same level of funding included in the HEROES Act passed by the Democrat-controlled House in May.
The White House instead supports providing $150 billion in new money for state and local governments and loosening up restrictions on how that money and the previous $150 billion allotted through the CARES Act in March could be spent, Meadows said.
He said the collective $300 billion for state and local governments would be closer to the actual revenue losses suffered amid the pandemic.
Leaders of state and local governments disagree with Meadows’ assessment, with groups representing them saying much more is needed to stave off the kind of deep cutbacks in services and personnel that will exacerbate the economic downturn. Many have already had to layoff and furlough workers. They have suggested $500 billion to $1 trillion for states, cities and counties would be more appropriate.
Talks between Democrats and Republicans faltered last month as lawmakers were unable to come to any agreement on a fourth coronavirus relief package.
Frustrated by the lack of agreement on the next coronavirus package, President Trump last month took executive action to enact a number of measures. One order continues to provide supplemental unemployment benefits to jobless Americans, though at lesser amount than was authorized previously by Congress.
Trump plans to take additional unilateral action Tuesday, as Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said the administration would announce the details of an eviction moratorium after the financial markets closed for the day.
Testifying before the House coronavirus subcommittee, Mnuchin said the administration’s order will affect up to 40 million renters and ensure people "don't get thrown out of their rental homes."
During his testimony, Mnuchin also underscored the administration’s desire to resume negotiations on the next coronavirus aid package.
“We will continue to try to work with the Senate and the House on a bipartisan Phase 4 relief package,” he said, adding that a bipartisan agreement should include funding for a host of issues, including schools, testing, small businesses, unemployment, and the U.S. Postal Service.
Andrea Noble is a staff correspondent with Route Fifty.
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