By Sandy Fitzgerald(NEWSMAX)
President Donald Trump on Saturday urged Congress to pass a “big and focused” COVID-19 relief bill that would meet with bipartisan agreement.
Trump tweeted Saturday:
“Congress must now do a Covid Relief Bill. Needs Democrats support. Make it big and focused. Get it done!”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., continued rejecting Democrats’ demand for a large coronavirus stimulus package Thursday, reports CNN.
“That’s not a place I think we’re willing to go,” McConnell said, adding he still wants a bill that is “highly targeted at what the residential problems are” to reject the call from Democrats for a big coronavirus stimulus package.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.. both said Thursday, however, they are not willing to change their demands for a large relief package.
Meanwhile, a transition adviser for Joe Biden said he has started to have conversations with Democrats about what lame-duck package could be passed before the January inauguration, reports The New York Times.
Progressives are pointing to growing long-term unemployment and slower job creation in their arguments for aid packages totaling into the trillions of dollars, but some liberal economists want Democrats to sign off on a compromise bill so the money will start flowing faster.
“A meaningful something is a lot better than nothing,” said Jason Furman, a top economic adviser to former President Barack Obama, told The Times. “Preventing damage to the economy today puts it in a better position a year from now.”
