Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brushed off the latest bipartisan coronavirus relief proposal Tuesday and is instead circulating a new proposal from GOP leadership amongst Senate Republicans that would ensure a signature from President Trump.
Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican, also expected any coronavirus relief to get attached to the still-unfinished government funding package — teeing up a deadline to avert a government shutdown and secure new relief by Dec. 11.
“I think the one thing we all agree on is that we don’t have time for messaging games. We don’t have time for lengthy negotiations,” Mr. McConnell said after the GOP conference call. “We just don’t have time to waste time.
“Obviously, it does require bipartisan support to get out of the Congress, but it requires a presidential signature,” he said.
The proposal was discussed with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin.
Mr. McConnell said whatever relief gets passed in the lame-duck session needs to focus on the most bipartisan programs, and noted that additional relief is likely next year with a “new administration.”
A different proposal, introduced by a group of centrist Republicans and Democrats from both chambers Tuesday morning, has a price tag of $908 billion, that would include more than a quarter of a trillion dollars for the small business Paycheck Protection Program and a new round of federal unemployment benefits.
Sen. Susan Collins, one of the senators rolling out the new framework, said she was concerned about Mr. McConnell’s version being too partisan if it was similar to the $500 billion packages put on the floor earlier this year.
“It’s going to be a partisan bill and that’s going to become law and I want a bill that becomes law,” Ms. Collins, Maine Republican, told reporters.
Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer said anything without Democratic input isn’t going to go far.
“I hope McConnell will start doing things in a bipartisan way. Every time he’s tried to do it in a partisan way it has failed,” the New York Democrat said.
The new proposal from GOP leadership hasn’t been revealed yet, but the past two packages have been around $500 billion to include additional small business loans, unemployment relief, school funds, and testing resources.
Democratic leadership, however, has kept their asking price at about $2.2 trillion, insisting on billions for assistance funds to state and local government, $1,200 direct payments to most Americans, and other benefits for families.
Mr. Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, spoke on the phone Tuesday afternoon about both government funding and a stimulus deal — the first time they’ve talked since October.
Mrs. Pelosi said the secretary is reviewing a proposal she and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer sent to the Republicans Monday evening, as well as the $908 billion bipartisan proposal.
“On COVID relief, we acknowledged the recent positive developments on vaccine development and the belief that it is essential to significantly fund distribution efforts to get us from vaccine to vaccination,” she said. “Any COVID proposal must ensure that the vaccine is free and accessible to everyone. Additional COVID relief is long overdue and must be passed in this lame-duck session.”
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