CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A $908 billion coronavirus relief proposal received a boost of support on Wednesday from the leading Democrats in Congress as discussions continue on legislative options.
House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a joint statement the bipartisan, bicameral framework announced Tuesday should be the starting point of discussions.
The statement is also a sign Pelosi and Schumer are moving from their $2.2 trillion proposal — which the House passed in October — and closer to the $500 billion pitch from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
$560 billion of the bipartisan measure is repurposed funds from the CARES Act.
“Of course, we and others will offer improvements, but the need to act is immediate and we believe that with good-faith negotiations we could come to an agreement,” they said. “With the imminent availability of the vaccine, it is important for there to be additional funding for distribution to take the vaccine to vaccination. This distribution effort will be led by the states further increasing the need for funding for state and local governments.
Lawmakers from both congressional chambers back the proposal, which includes funding for state and local governments as well as support for small business assistance, coronavirus vaccine development and distribution, transportation, broadband, and opioid addiction treatment. The legislation would provide enough funding to get through next March.
Multiple coronavirus relief programs will expire at the end of the year if lawmakers do not act, including additional unemployment assistance and the prohibition on evictions. Local and state governments will have to return unused relief funds if Congress does not approve an extension.
The framework is the result of a month of discussions. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is one of the plan’s initial supporters with eight other senators and the House Problem Solvers Caucus.
“We couldn’t go home at Christmastime without doing something because the need is so great,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
Manchin argued McConnell’s plan does not do enough, noting the proposal does not include aid for local and state governments or funding for broadband, rental assistance and food programs.
“His bill has nothing that is needed right now that is on the line of getting eliminated in December,” he said. “That’s what we’re fighting for.”
McConnell rebuffed the bipartisan plan on Tuesday, saying any measure will need President Donald Trump’s support.
The proposal does not include another stimulus check, which Americans received earlier this year.
“Right now, it did not fit in the framework where I could get enough of my Republican colleagues to vote for anything more than $908 billion,” Manchin said. “We met the needs of the emergency that we have.”
Manchin noted he is confident there will be enough Republicans supporting the framework to pass out of Congress.
“We’ve got over 10 Republicans now, and hopefully we can get 28 or 30 Republicans that will support this piece of legislation,” he said. “People are looking at it right now, and it has something for everybody that is in dire need.”
Maine’s Susan Collins, Louisiana’s Bill Cassidy, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski and Utah’s Mitt Romney participated in Tuesday’s announcement.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., on Wednesday signaled support for the plan, noting while she would vote for the McConnell plan, the bipartisan proposal is more beneficial for West Virginia.
“For the last four or five months, I’ve been trying to work to get this framework together that really is what we see in the bipartisan framework,” she told MetroNews. “I’m just glad we have a bipartisan agreement here.”
Capito said people are still facing financial strains because of the pandemic, noting declining small business revenues, stresses upon hospitals and job losses.
“There’s too much pain still in terms of unemployment and in terms of need,” she said.
Manchin and Capito are hopeful about passing a coronavirus relief measure this month. Capito said legislators from both parties want a deal before the new year.
“I think with that building momentum, I’m becoming more optimistic every day,” she added.
Manchin said he hopes to finalize the legislative language by Monday so Congress can vote on a bill. He added there are enough Republicans and Democrats interested in passing a measure.
“Where I think we are right now, I think we are in a good place,” he said. “Do I think we’ll get this accomplished? I do because I think there are enough of my colleagues committed that we won’t go home until we get a relief package.”
Capito noted a relief plan could be paired with a spending bill for keeping the federal government open. The current funding measure expires Dec. 11.