Congress close to COVID relief deal, includes stimulus checks
WASHINGTON — After months of delay and disagreement, a deal to approve another coronavirus relief package appears imminent in Congress as top lawmakers furiously negotiated to avoid going home empty- handed at the end of the year.
Congressional leaders hoped to nail down an agreement in principle Wednesday night.
The compromise proposal that’s coming together would give billions of dollars to small businesses, schools, hospitals and the unemployed. It would also help typical Americans, through another round of direct stimulus checks totaling less than the checks the federal government sent out last spring.
The deal reportedly would not include direct aid to states and local governments — a top priority of Democrats for months — but instead would hand tens of billions of dollars to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which would reimburse states for COVID- 19- related expenses.
That, however, would not address the billions of dollars in shortfalls governments face from decreased tax collections resulting from the coronavirus recession.
Republicans opposed providing grants to states and local governments — even though some of the hardest hit are red states — because they believed states would use the money to paper over economic problems that preceded the pandemic.
Gov. Ned Lamont said even without the direct money to states Congress should “get started” on passing something.
“Let’s get done what we can get done,” he said. “I need money to help get these vaccinations out to everybody. Are you going to hold up that over politics?”
Vaccine distribution has started in Connecticut with the first health care workers receiving their shots Monday. Distribution will continue full speed regardless of federal funding, Lamont said.
“There are a lot of places that are desperate, there are a lot of states that are out there borrowing money,” Lamont said. “We’ve managed our resources, we’ve got a rainy day fund. I’m not going to do anything to slow up distribution of the vaccine.”
Some progressives in Congress and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, R- Mo., have threatened not to support the deal if it does not include stimulus checks.
U. S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D- Conn., said Wednesday afternoon Congress’s bill should include rent relief, enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus checks direct to Americans. If they must eliminate one, it would be more “progressive” to nix stimulus checks, he said.
“I support stimulus checks,” Murphy tweeted. “But if this deal skimps on unemployment benefits to fund stimulus checks for folks who haven’t lost any income, that doesn’t sound like great policy.”
Congress’s bill is expected to include some liability protections for businesses from corona virus- related lawsuits, a red line for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R- Ky.
Top congressional leaders met late into the night Tuesday and planned to negotiate again late Wednesday. It was the first time the four leaders of the caucuses have gathered for months — a positive sign for breaking through the stalemate. Leaders hope to pass the deal with legislation to fund the government before they adjourn for the holidays.
Congress has not passed a major coronavirus package since April. Some lawmakers hope this new deal will be followed by another legislative response after President- elect Joe Biden takes office. Governors, including Lamont, met with Biden Wednesday afternoon over Zoom.
Biden told the governors he will spend his first 100 days focusing on vaccine distribution, encouraging mask use across the country ( and mandating it on federal property) and opening up schools.
“This road is going to be long and it's going to be tough, but I want you to know, this is not a one- off meeting,” Biden said.