Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are encouraging Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to meet them in the middle and strike a deal on the next COVID-19 relief package.
Pelosi and Schumer penned a letter to McConnell on Tuesday to explain why addressing a COVID-19 stimulus bill is an urgent matter.
“The time to act is upon us like never before. The COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession will not end without our help. It is essential that this bill have sufficient funding and delivers meaningful relief to the many Americans who are suffering,” Pelosi and Schumer wrote.
They added, “For the sake of the country, we ask that you come to the table and work with us to produce an agreement that meets America’s needs in this critical time.”
Read the full letter below:
Pelosi and Schumer write a joint letter to McConnell on Covid-19 relief: “For the sake of the country, we ask that you come to the table and work with us to produce an agreement that meets America's needs in this critical time.” pic.twitter.com/UtSutYqZSP
— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) November 17, 2020
The lawmakers noted the number of coronavirus cases reported by the United States per day averages to over 100,000 while the daily death toll stands at an average of more than 1,000.
The nation also reported more than 181,000 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, the most in one day since the beginning of the pandemic.
They acknowledged over 20 million Americans are receiving unemployment benefits.
Pelosi and Schumer mentioned their agreement with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows to lower their price tag to $1.2 trillion.
“Since that time, you have lowered your proposal from $1 trillion to $500 billion, despite the consensus from economists and experts that the country requires a much larger injection of aid,” they wrote.
McConnell revealed on Tuesday he hoped Congress would move forward with funding federal agencies while relief negotiations hang in the balance, as IJR previously reported.
Pelosi penned a letter to Democratic lawmakers Monday to call on them to “work as a team” because it is “imperative” they pass a stimulus bill before Jan. 20.
