Latest relief talks called ‘productive’ Arizona congressman has coronavirus
WASHINGTON – Lawmakers participating in rare weekend talks on a coronavirus relief measure reported progress on Saturday, as political pressure mounts to restore a newly expired $600-per-week supplemental unemployment benefit and send funding to help schools reopen.
“This was the longest meeting we had and it was more productive than the other meetings,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “We’re not close yet, but it was a productive discussion. Now each side knows where they’re at.”
Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., met for three hours with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows.
The Democratic duo is eager for an expansive agreement, as are President Donald Trump and top Republicans like Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. But perhaps one half of Senate Republicans, mostly conservatives and those not facing difficult races this fall, are likely to oppose any deal.
Prior talks yielded little progress. The administration is willing to extend the $600 jobless benefit, at least in the short term, but is balking at other Democratic demands like aid for state and local governments, food-stamp increases, and assistance to renters and homeowners.
“We have to get rid of this virus so that we can open our economy, safely open our schools, and to do so in a way that does not give a cut in benefits to American workers,” Pelosi said.
Mnuchin said restoring the $600 supplemental jobless benefit is important to Trump.
“We’re still a long ways apart and I don’t want to suggest that a deal is imminent because it is not,” Meadows said.
The additional jobless benefit officially lapsed on Friday, and Democrats
The chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee said Saturday he tested positive for the coronavirus days after he sat close toTexas Rep. Louie Gohmert, who also tested positive.
Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said in a statement that he has the virus but, like Gohmert, has no symptoms. He is at least the 11th member of Congress known to have tested positive for the coronavirus.
It’s unclear whether Grijalva, 72, caught the virus from Gohmert, who often walks around the Capitol without a mask. said they will not extend it without securing other relief priorities. Whatever unemployment aid negotiators agree on will be made retroactive – but antiquated state systems are likely to take weeks to restore the benefits.
Washington’s top power players agree that Congress must pass further relief in the coming days and weeks. At stake beyond the $600 per week jobless benefit is a fresh $1,200 direct payment to most Americans, and hundreds of billions of dollars in other aid.