Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate on Saturday scrambled to complete a deal on a $1 trillion-plus bill aimed at stemming the coronavirus pandemic’s economic fallout for workers, industries and small businesses.
But after a second day of marathon closed-door negotiations, there was no sign of an overarching deal between negotiators, despite Republicans’ claims of bipartisan agreement on specific issues including unemployment insurance and small business assistance.
“The past two days of intense bipartisan talks are very close to a resolution,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who intends to hold a vote to pass the sprawling package on Monday. He said he has asked committee chairmen to produce final language for the bill by late Saturday.
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters he expects the final legislative package to be worth $1.3 trillion to $1.4 trillion to combat the effects of a health crisis that many fear will lead to a spike in unemployment as businesses close and the economy falters.
Combined with actions undertaken by the US Federal Reserve and the administration, the prospective bill would have a $2 trillion net impact on a US economy facing powerful headwind spawned by the outbreak, according to White House officials.
Republican Senator Mike Crapo, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, said the legislation could contain $300 billion to $500 billion in stabilisation funds that the Federal Reserve could use as the basis for much larger infusions of liquidity for businesses of all sizes and configurations.
Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, who met twice on Saturday with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, agreed that progress was being made. “I’m optimistic we can get a deal. We’re going to continue working through the night,” the New York Democrat told reporters.
Lawmakers from both sides said they were at or near agreement on proposals to provide $350 billion or more in assistance for small businesses and to enhance unemployment insurance coverage for people made jobless by the outbreak.
Democrats pressed for all coronavirus-affected workers to receive full pay for four months. “We haven’t dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s. But conceptually, I think we’re there,” Schumer told CNN.
Democrats have also called for a $100 billion “Marshall Plan” for US hospitals to pay for protective gear, equipment such as ventilators, beds and additional doctors and nurses.
“I suspect that we’ll have a bill by tomorrow that will have significant Democratic priorities, significant Republican priorities and hopefully we can pass the bill Monday morning,” Republican Senator Lamar Alexander told reporters.
Major US airlines and their unions also called on Congress to include federal cash grants to support industry paychecks. But their plea did not appear to find support with senators or the administration.
The prospective legislation already includes $58 billion in loans and loan guarantees for passenger airlines and air cargo carriers.
Republican lawmakers said the bill will also include a funding response to the Trump administration’s request for $45.8 billion in extra funding for the Department of Health and Human Services, the Veterans Administration and the Defence Department.
