WASHINGTON– As lawmakers prepare to begin settlements on another coronavirus stimulus expense, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi(D-Calif.) suggested Thursday just how far apart Republicans and Democrats are on the expense of the legislation.
“$ 1 trillion does not do it for us,” Pelosi informed reporters. “However we can negotiate from there.”
Pelosi stated the next costs– which would be Congress’ 5th coronavirus reaction procedure– needed $1 trillion for state and local funding, $1 trillion for expanded welfare and direct payments, and “something like that, most likely not as much” for COVID-19 screening, contact tracing and treatment.
A senior GOP assistant said Senate Republicans are pushing for $1 trillion general, and McConnell himself has stated the Senate won’t come close to the $3 trillion amount that the Democratic House passed in May.
” It will not be a $3 trillion left-wing wishlist,” McConnell said at the end of May.
That Democratic bill would extend the extra $600 in unemployment benefits for the rest of the year– currently, that extra money expires at the end of July– and it would send out another round of stimulus checks to the majority of Americans, in addition to approving $13 an hour in risk pay for specific workers, paid sick leave, and $1 trillion for having a hard time state and city governments.
All of those items would help the economy. But Republicans appear increasingly intent on holding the line on costs, despite an unemployment rate above 11%and coronavirus cases spiking. And McConnell has stated his top concern is tamping down a supposed “epidemic of claims” that will result from individuals getting ill as financial activity picks up.
Part of the issue is that 2 successive tasks reports have beaten Wall Street’s expectations,