CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Federal legislators, two weeks after announcing a $908 billion coronavirus relief framework, unveiled bills aimed at providing assistance to small businesses and Americans as well as funding to local and state governments.
The bipartisan, bicameral proposal is split into two bills; one measure — worth $748 billion — would dedicate funding for unemployment assistance, small business loans, food programs and coronavirus vaccine distribution, while the second — which totals $160 billion — would go toward tribal, local and state governments.
The second bill also includes short-term liability protection related to the pandemic.
“We will not go home for Christmas until we pass legislation that gives relief to the American people,” U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., said Monday.
Manchin was among the lawmakers who spearheaded discussions on a relief measure following the election. Eight other senators and the House of Representatives Problem Solvers Caucus also collaborated on creating the proposal.
The $748 billion bill would extend the supplemental $300 a week federal unemployment payment at a cost of $180 billion; set aside $300 billion for small business loans and loan forgiveness; support food and rental assistance efforts; and provide funding for coronavirus testing and vaccine distribution, broadband development, and health programs.
The measure repurposes unused money from the CARES Act and only provides funding through next March. Relief initiatives will expire at the end of the year without any action.
Manchin said legislative leaders need to at least approve the $748 billion measure, stressing the need for assistance as the pandemic continues.
“We strictly looked at everything that was going to expire at the end of this month,” he said. “Now, it’s up to leadership to take it and make this happen in a timely basis.”
The $160 billion measure extends the deadline for spending coronavirus relief funding to Dec. 31, 2021. Governments otherwise face a deadline of Dec. 30, 2020 to use assistance funds provided earlier this year. The bill also provides liability protection for employers who follow public health guidance.
Republicans and Democrats disagreed on providing local and state governments with funding, with Republicans voicing concerns about governments using the money for pensions.
“That’s the trade-off,” Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said. “Providing funding for states and localities of $160 billion — that’s in this bill — and liability protections.”
Shortly after the release of the bipartisan framework, Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., told MetroNews she supported the proposal. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., issued a statement Monday evening urging lawmakers to pass another coronavirus relief measure.
The legislation does not include direct payments to Americans; the CARES Act, which Congress approved in March, provided assistance to people and their families, with payments dependent on an individuals’ income and the number of individuals in their household.
Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Josh Hawley, R-Mo., have pushed for another round of checks. Sanders told POLITICO on Monday the $748 billion measure is “totally inadequate” without direct payments.
Reps. David McKinley, R-W.Va., and Lisa Blunt Rochester, D-Del., last week proposed a bill to provide individuals with $1,000, with couples receiving $2,000 and people getting $1,000 for each dependent.
“American families are struggling and need immediate relief. More than half of households have reported major financial challenges due to the economic and public health crisis,” McKinley said.
“By providing a second round of individual relief, millions of American families would receive the help they need to get through the holiday season. As Congress continues to negotiate additional COVID-19 relief measures, we must prioritize family-focused direct assistance to those who need it most.”
The coronavirus relief proposal is one item on Congress’ end-of-the-year agenda; lawmakers also have to approve a spending deal to avert a government shutdown. Legislators passed a short-term extension last week to keep the government open through Dec. 18.