Pork surprise: Senate passes COVID-19 relief bill and omnibus
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Ed MorrisseyPosted at 8:26 am on December 22, 2020
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do have to pass the bill to find out what’s in it. In a last-gasp overnight session, the Senate passed both the Phase 4 COVID-19 relief bill and the continuing resolution, both in forms that could have been settled months ago. Both bills will go to the White House for Donald Trump’s signature as soon as the paperwork is readied.
The Phase 4 bill’s parameters were well known enough to be recited in one’s sleep. The CR, however, had a couple of surprises, not the least of which was a codicil reneging on a previous agreement to end tax credits in the wind-energy sector. Senate Republicans objected to the extension, but by then there wasn’t much to be done about it. Which was precisely the point, of course:
“I m against shutting down government, Hoyer told reporters on a press call. I think it is a stark admission of failure.
The growing likelihood that Congress will need to pass another stopgap bill their third of the year comes as negotiators are still trying to iron out the final policy fights in the massive bill.
McConnell, speaking from the Senate floor, described an agreement on the coronavirus as close at hand.
But McConnell added that negotiators now faced a choice of dragging out the talks or wrapping things up quickly. Do we want to haggle and spar like this was an ordinary political exercise, get wrapped around the actual language or policy riders that we know are controversial? Or, on the other hand, after months of inaction do we want to move swiftly and with unusual bipartisanship to close out or issues, seal the deal and write text that can quickly pass into law? McConnell added.
Bipartisan group unveils two-part $908 billion coronavirus package msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.