Senate could vote this week on GOP coronavirus bill

WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday he would push for a vote as early as this week on a slimmed-down coronavirus stimulus bill, even though the legislation currently lacks GOP consensus and is opposed by Democrats.

McConnell unveiled a $1 trillion proposal earlier this year, but bickering within the Republican caucus about the debt and spending for some items blocked it from becoming a bill. The Senate left for its August recess without a vote.

House Democrats, White House and Trump administration officials, meanwhile, have failed to negotiate a consensus bill, one smaller than the $3 trillion coronavirus bill passed along mostly party lines in the lower chamber months ago.

McConnell is expected to introduce a bill smaller than his previous $1 trillion proposal, which would target schools, businesses, and an unemployment insurance extension of roughly $300, which is half of the $600 a week Democrats want extended to January.

Political motives

Democratic leaders said the McConnell bill is an attempt to help GOP senators in competitive elections despite Republican opposition over debt-spending that has prevented earlier action.

McConnell blamed Democratic leaders for the pain to “help their political fortunes.”

“Congress can, should, and must do more to help. The Senate will vote and the American people will be watching,” McConnell said in a statement.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she is opposed to piecemeal relief legislation while the country further suffers from health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

After the House passed its bill three months ago, Pelosi said McConnell’s “wait-and-see” attitude created a larger crisis that must be addressed immediately, and with more aid than he has proposed.

“As they scramble to make up for this historic mistake, Senate Republicans appear dead-set on another bill which doesn’t come close to addressing the problems and is headed nowhere,” Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement.

“If anyone doubts McConnell’s true intent is anything but political, just look at the bill,” Pelosi and Schumer wrote.

Vote expected soon

A Senate vote on the McConnell bill could come as early as this week. Republicans would need Democratic support to reach the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and vote on passage of the bill.

Once that hurdle is overcome, if Republicans fall in line and pass the measure with 51 votes, including those GOP members who spoke in opposition to the McConnell measure, it would still need to be approved by the House.

The House does not return from recess until Monday.

Nevada Democratic Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen have called on McConnell instead to take up the House-passed legislation, which would provide assistance to states, cities, schools, hospitals, tribal governments, nutrition programs, the unemployed and businesses.

The state’s House delegation voted along party lines on the $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill, with Democrats Dina Titus, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford voting in favor of the bill and Republican Mark Amodei joining the GOP caucus in opposition.

President Donald Trump has vowed to take executive action to provide relief, but administration officials, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, are at an impasse in negotiations with Pelosi on a consensus bill that could pass the House and Senate and be signed into law.

McConnell’s push to pass a slimmed-down version of a relief package could provide new emphasis to negotiate a package with an eye on upcoming elections.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.