$908 billion coronavirus aid bill draws conservative backing in U.S. Congress
Looks like they might be able to reach a deal.
Even some of Trump's supporters are in favor of the bill.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan, $908 billion coronavirus aid plan gained momentum in the U.S. Congress on Thursday as conservative lawmakers expressed their support and Senate and House of Representatives leaders huddled.
Looks like they might be able to reach a deal.
Still unclear, however, was how far beyond $500 billion in spending Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell would agree to after months of insisting that anything approaching $1 trillion was unnecessary.
McConnell was feeling pressure from even some fellow conservatives, who before the Nov. 3 elections were not eager to approve of Washington shoveling out money beyond the $3 trillion already enacted.
The deepening severity of the coronavirus pandemic, with diagnosed cases exploding and deaths in the United States topping 270,000, appeared to be giving Republicans second thoughts about their long opposition to a comprehensive aid bill.
More and more, said Senator Bill Cassidy, Republicans “recognize that things are getting worse. And that if the economy goes into a recession, it really gets worse.”
Even some of Trump's supporters are in favor of the bill.
Without quick action by Congress, more than 13 million people are due to lose their government-funded unemployment benefits on Dec. 26.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which represents businesses across the United States, on Wednesday had warm words for the $908 billion bill.
Some of President Donald Trump’s biggest boosters on Thursday embraced the proposal.
Earlier on Thursday, Trump said he thought negotiators were “getting very close” to a deal, but he did not elaborate. And in another possible sign of progress, Democratic House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell consulted with each other, according to Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff.
“It’s been heartening to see a few hopeful signs in the past few days” toward a deal, McConnell said of Democrats’ stance on a new aid bill. He did not provide details.