With Congress back in session after a multi-week recess, pundits are expecting a new coronavirus relief bill in short order. Back in May, the House passed the HEROES Act, which extends many of the legislative goals of the April relief bill. That bill secured $1,200 for the majority of Americans in the form of direct deposits or paper checks.
However, since the HEROES Act passed the House in May, it’s sat stagnant on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s desk. McConnell himself noted several things in the legislation were non-starters for Republicans. This included a stipulation extending the extra $600 per week for unemployment as well as further funding for COVID testing and tracing.
While it’s still early, McConnell and the president are working together, along with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, to craft their own relief bill. Donald Trump has told reporters that the talks are going well, and he expects the three to create a bill that Republicans can agree on. The hard part, however, will be convincing House Democrats to take up the legislation. Much like Republicans, Democrats have several red lines that they won’t cross in terms of compromising on legislation.
For instance, Republicans’ proposed bill is likely to tie federal funding for schools to their reopening in the fall. As coronavirus cases surge throughout the US, the prospect of reopening schools for in-person learning is making many parents and teachers nervous. Many are calling for distance learning to continue, using online video services and unity cloud storage.
Another major issue Trump wants to see on any COVID legislation is a payroll tax cut. The president is adamant that such a tax cut would jump-start the economy. However, opponents argue that it wouldn’t help the millions of Americans who are unemployed due to the virus.
Any prospective relief bill will be hotly debated. Both the upper and lower chambers know that the American people are eager for another round of direct payments. The economic toll of the virus is hard to overstate, especially for working-class Americans. Republicans and Democrats alike know that their chances at reelection largely hinge on working-class voters.
This means that both sides are likely to press to get their pet legislation tacked onto the bill. This puts the other side in the position of being the “bad guy” by refusing. Since the Democrats control the House and Republicans control the Senate, any proposed legislation would need to be enough of a compromise for both sides to agree to pass it.
