Charlotte, NC — Congressional representatives on both sides of the political aisle worked into the night on a potential new coronavirus spending plan. The two sides had significant differences in their plans, but new reports indicate that they may be nearing an agreement.
Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi both spoke positively about their attempts to reach an agreement. While a dollar amount has not been mentioned, most estimates agree the package will cost around $1 trillion. This would be double the size of the package the Republicans proposed and more than half of the size of the Democratic proposal.
It seems that Democrats have backed off their demands for local government aid in exchange for stimulus checks for Americans. The Washington Post reports that checks of approximately $600 per American are being discussed, but the amount of the checks is still being negotiated. Democrats have argued for more money to Americans as part of any relief plan, in addition to local government aid.
Republicans also appear to have backed off the liability protections that were being argued for. Democrats state that this is not an acceptable option, and Mitch McConnell had initially said that the proposal was non-negotiable.
President Trump and Joe Biden have pushed lawmakers to pass a bill. President Trump asked for the bill prior to the election, but Mitch McConnell seemed uninterested in attempting to meet an agreement with Democrats.
Lawmakers are saying they will not leave Washington without a deal. A government shutdown looms, and both sides have tied coronavirus aid to the government funding bill. The details are expected to be announced on Wednesday to give Congress enough time to pass the bill by their scheduled departure from DC on Friday.
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