Senate Republicans said their proposed coronavirus stimulus package will be aimed mostly at supporting businesses and not individual Americans struggling to survive the economic crisis wrought by COVID-19.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Friday said the GOP's skinny rescue package worth only $500 billion will be "targeted particularly at small businesses that are struggling, and hospitals that are now dealing with the second wave of the coronavirus, and, of course, the challenges for education, both K-12 and college."
McConnell also said he doesn't anticipate a COVID-19 stimulus package until "right at the beginning" of 2021. National polls consistently show Democrat Joe Biden wresting the presidency from Donald Trump on November 3. The 46th president of the United States will be sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2021.
McConnell refused to reveal more details about the GOP stimulus, and why it apparently leaves out the much needed $1,200 stimulus check (or economic impact payment) and the $600 weekly unemployment insurance relief. These payments, which were provided in the $2.2 trillion CARES Act crafted by House Democrats and signed into law on March 27, ended in July.
Talks on a fourth coronavirus stimulus package have been stalled since August when the White House broke off negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The White House and Senate Republicans have since refused to approve the Democrats modified $2.2 trillion HEROES Act, saying it's too costly.
Instead, McConnell is standing by his skinny $500 billion rescue package. On the other hand, President Donald Trump has indicated at various times he wants Senate Republicans to pass a new package larger than the $2.2 trillion proposed by Democrats.
This mixed messaging was still apparent this week. Trump, also on Friday, claimed "we will have a tremendous stimulus package immediately after the election."
Pelosi shared McConnell's view talks will move forward once Biden becomes president. She said she expects Congress "certainly will have something [done] at the start of the new presidency."
She did say, however, "we don't want to have to wait that long, because people have needs."
Both the White House and Senate Democrats remain staunchly opposed to the Democrat's $2.2 trillion dollar stimulus package.
Democrats passed this revised amount in their original HEROES Act on May 15. Republicans have opposed this massive spending to save American families and businesses on the grounds it cost too much.
On the other hand, Trump opposes specific demands in the updated HEROES Act. He's strongly against providing federal aid to states whose finances have been ravaged by massive spending to control the coronavirus.
"She's asking for all sorts of goodies," said Trump. "She wants to bail out badly run Democrat states and cities. She wants money for things that you would never, you just couldn't, your pride couldn't let it happen."
