McConnell hits brakes on further round of COVID-19 relief.
WASHINGTON >> Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is hitting the brakes on emerging COVID-19 aid package from a bipartisan group of lawmakers, saying Republican senators won’t support $160 billion in state and local funds as part of a potential trade- off in the deal.
McConnell’s staff conveyed to top negotiators that the GOP leader sees no path to an agreement on a key aspect of the lawmakers’ existing proposal — a slimmed- down version of the liability shield for companies and organizations facing potential COVID-19 lawsuits — in exchange for $160 billion in state and local funds that Democrats want. A senior Democrat confirmed that McConnell’s position was conveyed to negotiators and was granted anonymity to discuss the private talks. McConnell’s office did not immediately respond for a request for comment.
The hardened stance from McConnell, who does not appear to have t he votes from Republicans for a far-reaching compromise, cre - ates a new stalemate over the $900-billion-plus package, despite days of toiling by a bipartisan group of lawmakers toward a deal.
It comes as President Donald Trump’s top negotiator on COVID-19 financial aid took the opposite view. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin reported headway Thursday on the package from the bipartisan senators’ group.
“I think we’re making a lot of progress,” Mnuchin said.
Deadlines, real and perceived, haven’t been sufficient to drive Washington’s factions to an agreement, despite the U.S. breaking a record-high 3,000 daily COVID fatalities, and hospitals straining at capacity from soaring caseloads.