Congress mulls next steps amid divide
WASHINGTON: Fresh partisan divisions flared on Sunday on the next steps for the US Congress in dealing with the coronavirus crisis, with the top House of Representatives Republican casting doubt on the need for more economic stimulus legislation while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi signalled she plans to move forward with it.
President Donald Trump on Friday signed into law a US$2.2 trillion (72 trillion baht) aid package — the largest on record — to address the economic downturn inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic after the Democratic-led House and Republican-led Senate put aside partisan differences to pass it nearly unanimously.
It was the third legislative package approved by lawmakers to address the mounting crisis.
Mr Trump on Sunday left open the possibility that he would support a fourth bill, telling reporters he was prepared to do “whatever’s necessary” to save lives.
But House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy was more cautious in comments that aired earlier in the day.
“I’m not sure we need a fourth package,” Mr McCarthy told the Fox News programme Sunday Morning Futures, noting he wants to see the first three packages take effect first.
Ms Pelosi, the top Democrat, told CNN’s State of the Union programme that the three bills already signed into law were merely a “down payment”.
“We have to do more,” Ms Pelosi said, adding that the existing bills do not provide enough because “every single day, the need grows.”
“We have to pass another bill that goes to meeting the need more substantially than we have. We have other issues that we have to deal with in the bill in terms of personal protective equipment and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) rules that protect workers,” Ms Pelosi said.
“We have to do more on family medical leave. We have to be able to make people who get tested also have their visit to the doctor covered,” Ms Pelosi added.