Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer described COVID-19 relief talks as slow going — with the parties moving together one inch at a time.
Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican, charged Democrats with trying to use the fifth round of coronavirus relief to push a progressive agenda to restructure the government.
He said they are unwilling to compromise on unemployment benefits for the millions of unemployed and instead are demanding tax breaks for the wealthy in blue states.
The two parties have been debating how much the weekly amount for unemployment benefits should be, with Democrats wanting the current $600 extended and Republicans aiming for $200, saying too high of a number discourages people from returning to work and reopening the economy.
“We just don’t think it’s remotely fair for the government to tax the essential workers who kept working every day so that Uncle Sam can pay their neighbors a higher salary to stay home,” Mr. McConnell said.
He said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mr. Schumer, who have been meeting with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, have only moved “one inch” in eight days of talks.
“Let’s hope they decide to get serious soon,” he said.
But Mr. Schumer pushed back, saying the GOP proposal wasn’t serious because it lacked money for state and local governments, increased unemployment insurance and money for the Postal Service to prepare for increased voting by mail during the pandemic ahead of November.
The New York Democrat said every American should be able to safely vote in person or by mail.
“Many more will vote by mail — there will be a need for polling places, maybe more of them and the need to space people out when they vote,” he said.
“The only answer as to why neither Republicans in the Senate or the White House want to do anything about it is they fear a fair and free election,” Mr. Schumer charged. “We are going to keep fighting.”
“We are going to keep slogging through step by step, inch by inch,” he added.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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