House Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus response bill toward passage Friday, a measure designed to prop up the U.S. economy.

GOP says measure is wish list, ‘going nowhere fast’

WASHINGTON — House Democrats powered a massive $3 trillion coronavirus response bill toward passage Friday, a measure designed to prop up a U.S. economy in free fall and a health care system overwhelmed by a pandemic that’s killed over 87,000 Americans.

Friday’s vote was sure to be partisan and sets up a long, difficult negotiation with the White House and Senate Republicans over what is likely to be the last major COVID-19 response bill before November’s elections.

The measure drafted by House Democrats would cost more than the prior four coronavirus bills combined. It would deliver almost $1 trillion for state and local governments, another round of $1,200 direct payments to most individuals, and help for housing payments, the Postal Service and holders of college debt.

Debate on the legislation offered a Capitol scene that’s become common in the era of coronavirus, but remains disconcerting. The sparsely populated House floor was dotted with lawmakers and aides wearing protective masks, though several Republicans went to the floor without them.

The bill was sure to go nowhere in the Senate. Its Republican leaders have urged a “pause” to assess prior efforts and have scheduled votes on federal judicial nominees next week as the party sorts through differences between conservatives and moderates, particularly over aid to state and local governments. They are also awaiting stronger signals from President Donald Trump about what he will support.

“Not to act now is not only irresponsible in a humanitarian way, it is irresponsible because it’s only going to cost more,” warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. “More in terms of lives, livelihood, cost to the budget, cost to our democracy.”

The White House promised a veto of Friday’s legislation, a symbolic move because the Senate’s opposition assures it will never reach Trump.

“Phase Four is going to happen,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office, using Washington insiderspeak for the measure. “But it’s going to happen in a much better way for the American people.”

The House measure amounted to a Democratic opening bid in upcoming negotiations with the White House and the Senate. Previous talks were often bitterly partisan even as they produced compromises that passed by sweeping, even unanimous votes.

Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., are insisting the next measure should protect reopening businesses from liability lawsuits. The president is also demanding a cut to payroll taxes, but GOP leaders are not yet onboard.

The Congressional Budget Office didn’t have time to estimate the cost of Friday’s measure, which Pelosi’s office could only characterize as “more than $3 trillion.” Other offices said the total would breach $3.5 trillion or more. But a partial estimate of tax provisions revealed eye-popping costs — $412 billion to renew $1,200 cash payments to individuals, more than $100 billion to pay COBRA health insurance premiums for the unemployed, and $164 billion to make an “employee retention” tax credit for businesses more generous.

Trump and his GOP allies dismissed Friday’s bill as a Democratic wish list.

Few Republicans were expected to vote for the bill.That reflects disunity between conservatives who feel enough has been done and more pragmatic lawmakers who favor steps like rescuing the Postal Service from looming insolvency, while delivering cash to revenue-starved state and local governments. The huge price tag and a lack of consultation with Republicans by Pelosi cemented GOP opposition.