Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell vowed on Tuesday not to leave Washington until his chamber has passed a “significant and bold” third coronavirus bill to help the economy weather the spread of the disease.
The Kentucky Republican said he was concerned the House’s bipartisan relief bill could cause more harm than good if another supplement fix isn’t passed immediately.
“In particular, it seems increasingly clear that the House’s effort to mandate that small businesses provide new worker benefits, just many small businesses themselves are in major jeopardy of their own, might even be actively harmful unless we urgently address a broader package that includes more and broader small business relief,” he said on the Senate floor.
On Tuesday, the Trump administration $850 billion coronavirus relief package, which would include aid for hard-hit sectors such as the airline and cruise industries.
Talks between Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and Senate Republicans began Monday night and will continue on Tuesday.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, a key ally of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has a proposal of his own.
On Monday, he called for at least $750 billion that would go toward shoring up hospital resources, affordability of coronavirus treatment, fund public transportation and emergency child care, and pause payments on loans immediately.
The outline did not include aid for industries the administration wants.
Other Republicans are floating ideas as well, aside from the payroll tax the administration has called for. Some, such as Sens. Mitt Romney and Tom Cotton, have suggested giving cash handouts to Americans to help them with bills over the next few weeks.
First, the Senate still needs to pass the House’s coronavirus bill that cleared the lower chamber Monday evening.
If legislation on a third coronavirus package does move in the Senate, the House will need to reconvene to pass it as early as next week, despite delaying their return from recess in light of the virus.
• Gabriella Muñoz can be reached at gmunoz@washingtontimes.com.
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