“I want to get done by Friday night, but if we don t get done by Friday night, I don t want to shut down government. And if we need three or four more days, we re going to take as much time as is necessary to fund the government and as well as [bring] relief to those who have been savaged by COVID-19,” Hoyer told reporters.
He added, “Why this takes so long is because we procrastinate and we pretend just one more day and we’ll get a better deal. It’s frustrating.”
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Leadership is wading through a myriad of policy and political fights as they try to wrap up an agreement.
Thune said he expects the package to provide $300 a week in supplemental federal unemployment assistance through March and confirmed that it would not include additional state and local aid funding.
The senator said there could be language in the deal aimed at addressing concerns that people who receive both enhanced unemployment benefits and stimulus checks would be getting a double benefit. Tax experts said that it would be difficult for the IRS to administer a provision that prevents unemployment recipients from getting direct payments.
Thune said the plan for the House to act on the combined COVID relief-omnibus spending package first and send it to the Senate to pass before the Friday night deadline.
Congress has until Friday night to pass another funding bill or the government will shut down.
As of Monday night there were still two sticking points for a funding deal: A push to include an agreement on surprise medical billing and wage requirements on public works deals.
LEADING THE DAY
Small businesses say worst of pandemic yet to come: survey: A significant majority of small businesses say they think that the worst of the pandemic is yet to come, according to a survey by the Chamber of Commerce and MetLife.
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According to the survey, 62 percent of small business owners said they thought more difficult times were ahead, expressing concerns about the economy, the fate of their businesses, and their mental health.
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has caused dramatic damage across the world, both for those infected with the disease and those who have lost jobs, income, education, and physical and mental well-being during the shutdowns and restrictions. Elected officials have sought to address the public health crisis and mitigate the economic fallout of the disease.
While the crisis does justify temporary federal activity aimed at providing relief for the emergency at hand, it is not a blank check for wasteful spending. The federal debt has increased by more than $4 trillion since January 1, 2020, and public debt now exceeds the gross domestic product for the first time since World War II.REF It is imperative for legislators to ensure that COVID-19 relief is targeted, timely, and temporary.REF