WASHINGTON: US lawmakers urged their Senate colleagues Monday to pass an aid plan before the end of the year for the pandemic-battered economy, but without appearing to get closer to an agreement.
The senators are back in session following the Thanksgiving holiday — and time is running out if they want to adopt a stimulus package before the end of 2020.
Lawmakers have negotiated for months on passing such a bill, but haven’t come to terms on how much to spend and what to spend it on.
“The American people need more help now. Congress should deliver more COVID relief this year,” tweeted Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of the Democrats said that negotiating a new relief bill was a priority for the chamber.
But both sides blame the other for the lack of a deal.
Congress authorized the $2.2 trillion CARES Act in March as the pandemic arrived, but its provisions expanding payments to the unemployed and giving loans and grants to small businesses expired in recent months.
“It would be stupidity on steroids if Congress didn’t act before the holidays,” Democratic Senator Mark Warner told MSNBC Monday, expressing outrage that people will lose their unemployment benefits “the day after Christmas.”
Along with a small bipartisan group of senators, Warner is seeking to restart negotiations and reach a consensus, Politico reported. Their previous attempt failed.
Negotiations have stalled for months in a starkly divided Congress.
Democrats, who control the House of Representatives, have proposed a package of at least $2 trillion. But Republicans — who control the Senate — have proposed a $500 billion plan.
Democratic president-elect Joe Biden assumes office on January 20. The new Congress will be inaugurated on January 3, but Senate control hinges on a runoff election in the state of Georgia on January 5.
