A bipartisan group of House and Senate lawmakers revealed Tuesday a $908 billion legislative framework to try to break a months-long impasse between congressional leadership and the White House on a new round of pandemic related relief measures.
"We're battling COVID-19 more fiercely now that we ever have before and we recognize that, it's inexcusable for us to leave town and not have an agreement," said Sen. Joe Manchin, a centrist Democrat from West Virginia.
The measure includes: $180 billion in additional unemployment insurance that would provide an additional $300 weekly benefit for 18 weeks, $288 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program to assist small businesses, $16 billion for testing, vaccine development and distribution, $45 billion for airlines and mass transit, an extension of existing student loan payment deferrals and rental housing assistance, and a new liability provision to temporarily block pandemic related lawsuits with the intent to give individual states time to develop their own legal response, among others.
Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said $560 billion of the package is repurposed money from the CARES Act enacted in March, with $348 billion in new spending. The topline figure is symbolic — exactly half of the $1.8 trillion offer made by the White House back in October — but it is far less than the roughly $2 trillion sought by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
House and Senate lawmakers said they have informed their party leaders of their framework, but it has not been endorsed by leadership or the White House, leaving the path forward unclear.
The liability provision is a clear overture to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., who has said he will not bring a bill to the floor that does not include liability protections for businesses, health care provides, and schools. Pelosi is expected to speak by phone with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Tuesday afternoon about an upcoming spending bill to avoid a Dec. 11 shutdown and additional stimulus measures. The must-pass bill is a potential vehicle to attach coronavirus relief before lawmakers adjourn this Congress and head home for the holidays.
The proposal reflects growing, bipartisan interest on Capitol Hill to approve additional coronavirus aid while the pandemic rages across the country. "COVID has created a crisis and in times of crisis, the people expect Congress to act," Romney said.
The additional lead lawmakers who helped craft the framework include: GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, as well as Democratic Sens. Mark Warner of Virginia, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and Independent Angus King of Maine.
House lawmakers involved included members of the Problem Solvers Caucus, including GOP Reps. Tom Reed of New York, Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio, Dusty Johnson of South Dakota, and Fred Upton of Michigan, as well as Democratic Reps. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey, Dean Phillips of Minnesota, and Abigail Spanberger of Virginia.
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