Optimism, pressure growing for a relief bill
WASHINGTON — Optimism about delivering long-sought COVID-19 relief is building on Capitol Hill after additional rank-and-file lawmakers voiced support for a bipartisan, middle-of-the-road plan taking shape in the Senate and as top congressional leaders connected on the topic for the first time in months.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell — frequent rivals but proven dealmakers — spoke on the phone Thursday, a conversation that came the day after Pelosi signaled a willingness to make major concessions in search of a COVID rescue package in the $1 trillion range.
Pelosi’s spokesman announced the telephone conversation, tweeting that it was “about their shared commitment to completing an omnibus and COVID relief as soon as possible.”
“We had a good conversation. I think we’re both interested in getting an outcome, both on the omnibus and on a coronavirus package,” McConnell said.
With COVID-19 caseloads spiraling and the daily death toll equaling records, themomentum for finally passing a second major relief bill is undeniably building, especially after President-elect Joe Biden and top congressional Democrats endorsed a $908 billion bipartisan framework to build an agreement.
Some conservatives, including Republicans from COVID hot spots like North Dakota and Iowa, said they were comfortable with an aid package carrying the almost $1trillion price tag. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said the bipartisan plan is “the right balance of compromise and it’s a number that’s doable.“
Added Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.: “There’s a bipartisan package for $908 billion that will really help people.“
McConnell, R-Ky., his leverage bolstered after the election, continues to take a hard line, insisting in a Thursday floor speech that any relief package be limited to consensus items like another round of “paycheck protection” aid to businesses, funding to distribute vaccines, and aid to schools.
“Why should these impactful and noncontroversial life-preservers be delayed one second longer?” McConnell said. “At long last, let’s do what Congress does when we want an outcome. Let’s make law on all the subjects where we agree.”
Later, McConnell met with Republicans who are working the scaled-back, bipartisan measure, including Susan Collins, R-Maine, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, and Mitt Romney, R-Utah. Across Capitol Hill, an allied bipartisan “problem solvers” group claimed growing momentum at an outdoor news conference.
Akey McConnell ally, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said he is negotiating with fellow Judiciary Committee member Dick Durbin, DIll., over a provision much sought by Republicans and McConnell in particular thatwould give a liability shield to businesses, universities and other organizations against COVID-related lawsuits.
McConnell himself said a huge drop in Democratic demands — from more than $2 trillion to less than $1 trillion — was “at least movement in the right direction.”
And Trump weighed in to support the idea.
“I think they are getting very close and I want it to happen,” Trump said.
Biden said Wednesday that an aid package developed by moderates “wouldn’t be the answer, but it would be the immediate help for a lot of things.” He wants a relief bill to pass Congress now, with more aid to come next year.
The Democrats embraced the $908 billion approach from moderate Sens. Collins and Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., among others. It would establish a $300 per week jobless benefit, send $160 billion to help state and local governments, boost schools and universities, revive popular “paycheck protection” subsidies for businesses, and bail out transit systems and airlines.
Any relief package would be attached to a $1.4 trillion year-end spending bill required to avert a government shutdown next weekend.