Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) indicated lawmakers would unveil a $908 billion relief package this week.
Fox News’ Chris Wallace asked Manchin Sunday if the $908 billion relief bill is “dead” and whether there is a chance Congress could leave without passing any relief before the end of the year.
“The plan is alive and well, and there is no way, no way that we’re going to leave Washington without taking care of the emergency needs of our people,” Manchin said.
Wallace suggested there has been “talk” negotiations have “fallen apart.”
Manchin insisted negotiations have not stopped and they will “have a bill produced for the American people tomorrow, $908 billion.”
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He added, “There’s a lot of parts to this bill and in the spirit of compromise, you have to work through all of that. But, at the end, you can’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.”
Manchin explained the package is a temporary solution while lawmakers can decide on something more permanent.
“We’re trying to get through the toughest first quarter of our country that we’ve ever faced and we’ve got people without nutrition, we have people without shelter,” Manchin said.
He continued, “We have people without paychecks that are unemployed. We have hospitals that are being overburdened. We have health care workers. We have schools that need to be attended to. This covers all of that.”
Wallace told Manchin he had done a good job at “selling” the plan but has failed to convince him Congress will pass it.
“Well there’s no guarantee. There’s, there’s 535 people that have to vote, 535, I can’t guarantee they’re all going to vote for it and pass it, but I can tell you one thing: What’s the alternative?” Manchin said.
The plan allocates funding for state and local governments, unemployment benefits, and small businesses, as IJR previously reported.
