As millions of Americans continue to wait for action on the next stimulus package, the Trump administration made an offer Tuesday that would send $600 checks to all Americans. However, in exchange for the stimulus check, House Democrats would have to agree to remove a proposed $300-per-week pandemic jobless benefit from the package, according to the Associated Press.
The $300 benefit would assist those who are not working because of the COVID-19 pandemic and increase the weekly unemployment benefits available to millions of Americans. If removed from the stimulus package, unemployed workers would have to rely on their state’s offerings for unemployment benefits.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin proposed the $600 stimulus checks to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after speaking with several GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Pelosi and McConnell have been at odds in recent weeks as the two sides try to reach an agreement before legislators return home for the year, the AP reports.
Following Tuesday’s proposal, Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., issued a statement indicating they would prefer a bi-partisan group take the lead in negotiations. That group involves several senators from both sides of the aisle, including Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and GOP Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.
The bi-partisan group seeks a $908 billion package that would include the weekly $300 pandemic jobless benefit and $160 billion for state and local governments, according to the AP. While the Trump administration prefers to send checks directly to all Americans, GOP leaders say that plan costs too much money and sends money to people who may not need it.
For Collins, the goal is to get relief to those most in need as the pandemic continues to rage on.
“Right now we’re targeting struggling families, failing businesses, health care workers and we don’t have a stimulus check to every single person, regardless of need,” said Collins.
McConnell and Pelosi have been at odds over demands from each other that neither wants to give in to. McConnell has repeatedly pushed for a liability shield that would protect businesses, universities and other entities from COVID-related negligence lawsuits. Democrats say that proposal is dangerous to American workers and doesn’t seem necessary.
“Contrary to the majority leader’s dire predictions, there has been no flood of COVID lawsuits. In fact, quite the opposite,” said Schumer, D-N.Y. “Far from the pandemic of lawsuits, there’s barely been a trickle.”
On the other side, Pelosi wanted up to $900 billion for state and local governments. However, state governments haven’t suffered financially as anticipated so the financial needs of states aren’t as dire.
While she wouldn’t get exactly what she is looking for, Pelosi said she supports the bi-partisan proposal made by Collins and others as the framework for negotiations. McConnell too seemed to acknowledge that getting a deal done soon is most important.
“Leaving here without a COVID relief package cannot happen,” McConnell said. “Why don’t we set aside the two obviously most contentious issues. We know we’re going to be confronted with another request after the first of the year. We’ll live to fight those another day.”
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