American lawmakers, after months at an impasse over what would be included in a stimulus bill, have decided to split the bill into two separate proposals, CNN reports.
The first would be a $748 billion proposal including money for small business loans, jobless benefits and vaccine distribution, and the second would be a $160 billion provision for state and local aid, and also liability protections for businesses and other entities, which are the two biggest sticking points for the Democrats and Republicans respectively.
It’s unknown how many Congress members would agree to the latter proposal, CNN writes, though the first proposal is expected to have a wide swathe of support. While multiple Senators spent Sunday (Dec. 13) trying to get votes and support, the decision will come down to the leaders’ choices in the end. Louisiana Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy said they were going to introduce a bill “tomorrow night,” CNN wrote.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has signaled that he’s ready to accept a stimulus package even if it doesn’t include state and local aid pushed for by Democrats, CNN reports.
Hoyer said the point was “to get the essential done,” CNN wrote, quoting a conversation he had with CNN’s Abby Phillip on “Inside Politics.” Hoyer said he hoped to have something passed next week.
Hoyer said Democrats wouldn’t get everything they want, but it was important to help those truly struggling.
“We think state and local (aid) is important,” he said, according to CNN. “And if we can get that we want to get it. But we want to get aid out to the people who are really, really struggling and are at grave risk.”
While there was aid approved quickly in the early weeks of the pandemic, Congress hasn’t passed anything else in recent months as both sides remain entrenched in their own wants. Business and industry leaders have urged Congress to pass aid, especially before they adjourn for the winter holidays soon, warning that not passing any other stimulus funding would be catastrophic for the economy.
