McConnell now open to state aid in next virus relief bill

W A S H I N G T O N — Shi f t i ng t one, Senate M a j o r i t y L e a d e r Mitch McConnell said Wednesday he is “open” to considering additional funds for state and local governments in the next coronavirus r el i ef bil l as the chamber returns t o s e s s i on duri ng t he pandemic.

The Republican leader faced a storm of criticism from the nation's governors after panning Democrats' proposal for more than $500 billion to help cash- strapped local governments cover the sudden extra costs of police, fire and other front-line workers in the crisis. Last week, he suggested states should be allowed to go bankrupt.

Wh i l e s a y i n g h e ' s w i l l i n g t o c o n s i d e r new funds, McConnell insisted the next package must also include federal liability protections from what he warned will be an “avalanche” of lawsuits against businesses that reopen during the pandemic.

“There's no question all governors, regardless of party, would like to have more money, I'm open to discussing that,” McConnell said on Fox News Radio.

Congressional l eaders staked out priorities Wednesday for the next round of aid even as key s e n a t o r s j o i n e d t h e i r H o u s e c o l l e a g u e s i n sounding alarms over the health risks of reopening the U.S. Capitol.

The Washington, D.C., region remains a virus hot spot, health officials say. Stay-home orders are in place through midMay for the District of Columbia.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen o f Mar y l a n d , a s t a t e home t o many f ederal workers, said by asking people to return to the Capitol “without effective safeguards in place, Mi t c h Mc C o n n e l l i s endangering t he l i ves of t he staff who work there.”

The House canceled its scheduled return after lawmakers revolted and t he Capitol physician warned o f t h e h e a l t h risks f or the 430 l awmakers and their staff.

M c C o n n e l l s a i d Wednesday the Senate, with its 100 members, will not “sit on the sidelines.”

McConnel l ' s o f f i c e would not say if he consulted with the Capitol physician on the decision to resume Senate operations.

As Congress reaches f or t he next package, McConnell said his liability proposal must be included. He said he's trying to prevent a “second pandemic — which is going to be lawsuits against doctors, nurses, hospitals and brave business people opening up.”

Democrats a r e a l s o refining their approach to ward off GOP attacks that f ederal aid to the states would be a bailout f or governors s uf f e r - ing from past budgeting decisions.

C h i e f a m o n g McConnell's critics was New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who urged the nation's leaders to adopt the spirit of the thous a nds o f d o c t o r s a nd nurses who descended on New York to help in the crisis.