Dueling Paths for Coronavirus Relief, Budget Bills as US Congress Enters Key Week
Twin efforts were underway in the U.S. Congress on Monday to reach a massive government spending deal that would avert a government shutdown, as Republicans and Democrats insisted they want to include a fresh round of…
Twin efforts were underway in the U.S. Congress on Monday to reach a massive government spending deal that would avert a government shutdown, as Republicans and Democrats insisted they want to include a fresh round of aid to a coronavirus-hit nation.
The leaders of both parties appeared more upbeat about doing the first COVID-19 aid bill since April, while a bipartisan group of lawmakers were pitching their own approach. The COVID-19 aid could be attached to a critical spending measure that must be passed by Friday to avoid a federal government shutdown.
Leading lawmakers were hammering out that measure, a $1.4 trillion spending bill for the fiscal year that began on Oct. 1. It would include money for programs ranging from healthcare, homeland security and military readiness to foreign aid, national parks and nutrition. They have been operating on temporary funding.
Senator John Cornyn, a senior Republican, said what was needed was an agreement on pandemic relief between Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He said he hoped for a result by Wednesday.
“I think they have been talking and I’m confident their staff are engaged,” Cornyn told reporters. As for the bipartisan package, “I think it’s having a big, and a positive influence on what’s, what will be ultimately included,” Cornyn said.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby said the government spending bill could be filed as soon as Tuesday, and he hoped it would include COVID-19 relief. “That’s what I’ve always proposed, I hope so. We’ve got to have an agreement on the COVID stuff,” he told reporters.
Without a spending deal, the government would have to begin shutting non-emergency programs and furloughing many workers in the midst of a pandemic that has killed 300,000 Americans, thrown millions out of work, and is getting worse as winter sets in.
McConnell said his party was ready to pass something on COVID-19 and called on Democrats to do the same in a speech that avoided some of the finger-pointing from both parties last week.
“The next several days are going to bring about one of two outcomes,” McConnell said as he opened the Senate.