At one point Tuesday morning, it looked as if the Senate was finally preparing to pass the second stage coronavirus response bill from the House possibly as soon as Tuesday afternoon. That's in question now, according to reporting from Politico, which suggests Mitch McConnell's Republicans want to have their say, amend this bill, and send it back to a House which is not in session this week. Because "urgent."
In the interim, the Trump administration has come up with another $850 billion stimulus spending bill that the Senate now thinks maybe they should blend into the House bill. The administration still wants its payroll tax cut, which has little support from either Republicans or Democrats on Capitol Hill because it really doesn't answer the problem—people who have been laid off aren't paying payroll taxes to get back! It would also take months to be effective. The Trump proposal would also include support for the airline industry and $250 billion for small business loans.
Tuesday, Mar 17, 2020 · 7:06:06 PM +00:00
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Joan McCarter
The meeting with Mnuchin and Senate Republicans is done, and McConnell has announced that the Senate will vote on the House bill “as soon as we can” and then stay in session to work on the phase three bill. Senate Republicans will work with the White House on a plan, and then “consult” with Democrats. Seems like they could skip a step there by having Democratic leadership in the room from the beginning.
Shockingly, Senate Republicans are lining up behind direct cash payments to everyone rather than a payroll tax cut and the White House is now backing that idea. With the House out of session, it's unclear exactly how this will play out if they try to attach it to the current bill. Pelosi is demanding that the next round, or phase 3, of stimulus include some of the leave provisions that were scaled back in the current bill to get the administration and more Senate Republicans behind it. Pelosi also wants to make sure that self-employed and gig economy workers have the same economic help as everyone else.
Treasury Secretary Mnuchin is meeting with Senate Republicans again on Tuesday afternoon to try to push the process along. The whole process is under a cloud of increasing uncertainty as the future for Congress actually being able to convene and pass things is unclear. Between flight cancellations, actual members of Congress and their staff being stricken, and the average age of the Senate falling well within the vulnerable demographic, the Senate seems to be wanting to do a massive package and get the hell out of dodge. That would leave their House colleagues—who are not in town right now—hanging.
Meanwhile, the infection rate and the death toll from the virus are still steadily climbing.