Pressure is building on Congress to pass another round of coronavirus relief legislation, but Rep…

Pressure is building on Congress to pass another round of coronavirus relief legislation, but Republicans and Democrats have different ideas about whats needed and how fast.
Democrats want to move swiftly while GOP aides warn its unlikely a fourth bill will pass before May.
In a bid to give Congress more time to deliberate before passing another massive relief bill, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellFlorida Democrat hits administration over small business loan rolloutThe Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Dybul interview; Boris Johnson updateSchumer says nation will ‘definitely’ need new coronavirus relief billMORE (R-Ky.) says he will ask for unanimous consent Thursday to provide as much as $250 billion in additional money to help small businesses keep workers on the payroll. The program, for which Congress appropriated nearly $350 billion in the enacted $2.2 trillion CARES Act, is highly popular and faces an imminent shortfall of funding.
In a telling tactical decision, however, McConnell did not reach out to Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerSchumer names coronavirus czar candidates in plea to White HouseDemocrats struggle to keep up with Trump messaging on coronavirusSchumer: Fired inspector general will be remembered as a ‘hero’MORE (D-N.Y.) nor did Small Business Committee Chairman Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioThe Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – US officials expect ‘saddest week,’ glimmers of COVID-19 reliefMomentum grows to change medical supply chain from ChinaConfusion surrounds launch of 9B in small-business loansMORE (R-Fla.) reach out to his counterpart, Sen. Ben CardinBenjamin (Ben) Louis CardinDemocratic senator asks Pompeo to stop saying ‘Wuhan virus’Small-business rescue package expected to swell to 0 billion or moreMcConnell sets Friday night deadline for bipartisan deal on stimulusMORE (D-Md.) prior to announcing Tuesday that Republicans would seek the influx of small business funding by unanimous consent. Rubio and Cardin worked closely to help craft the unprecedented small-business program.
Republican leaders expect that Schumer will attempt to attach any of a number of Democratic priorities to the request, such as up to $25,000 in hazard pay for essential workers, including doctors and nurses as well as grocery store clerks, GOP aides say.
McConnell on Tuesday warned that any legislation Congress passes next should be focused on fixing oversights of the CARES Act, which President TrumpDonald John TrumpOvernight Health Care: US hits 10,000 coronavirus deaths | Trump touts ‘friendly’ talk with Biden on response | Trump dismisses report on hospital shortages as ‘just wrong’ | Cuomo sees possible signs of curve flattening in NYWe need to be ‘One America,’ the polling says and the politicians should listenBarr tells prosecutors to consider coronavirus risk when determining bail: reportMORE signed into law March 27, instead of bold liberal proposals favored by Schumer and Speaker Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiWe need to be ‘One America,’ the polling says and the politicians should listenFlorida Democrat hits administration over small business loan rolloutThe Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Dybul interview; Boris Johnson updateMORE (D-Calif.).
As the administration works to implement this historic legislation and push money out the door, Senate Republicans believe any potential further action will need to be tailored to the actual needs of our nation, not plucked off preexisting partisan wish lists, McConnell said Tuesday.
Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinOn The Money: Trump officials struggle to get relief loans out the door | Dow soars more than 1600 points | Kudlow says officials ‘looking at’ offering coronavirus bondsTrump officials struggle to get coronavirus-relief loans out the doorKudlow says administration ‘looking at’ offering coronavirus bondsMORE on Tuesday asked Congress to appropriate another $250 billion to the fast-diminishing small-business program that will forgive loans as long as employers keep workers on their payrolls. In the past two weeks, a record 10 million Americans have filed unemployment claims.
The administration says banks have already processed $70 billion in federally backed loans for more than 200,000 small businesses. Many small businesses are still waiting on federally guaranteed aid.
Asked Tuesday if he would insist on adding hazard pay for essential workers to small-business funding, Schumer said the Heroes Fund is one of our very highest priorities in COVID-4, referring to the fourth relief bill.
If Schumer allows the extra small-business funding to pass by unanimous consent, hell give up a powerful bargaining chip. But if Democrats block the request, it could give them a public relations black eye. A spokesman for Schumer did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.
Schumer, Cardin and other Senate Democrats sent a letter to the Small Business Administration on Tuesday to ask Administrator Jovita Carranza and Mnuchin to reserve a portion of the small-business lending program for businesses owned by veterans, minorities and women.
Democrats are pushing for other priorities as well, such as additional funding to shore up state and local government budgets and an expansion of the Affordable Care Acts enrollment window for the uninsured.
Republican leaders want to postpone a larger relief package beyond this month, so the administration has time to implement and Congress has time to assess the CARES Act.
Theres growing skepticism among Senate aides about whether Congress will even reconvene in Washington the week of April 20 as expected, when coronavirus infections are projected to be nearing their peak in the United States.
Senate Republicans say the small-business funding boost should move quickly and separately.
One senior Senate GOP staffer said its premature to start negotiating another coronavirus relief bill when the third bill is not even two weeks old yet. The aide noted that funding for state governments isnt scheduled to go out the door until April 24 and that a myriad of other aid programs has yet to get up and running.
Were focused on seeing how implementation goes and taking stock of the epidemic. The peaks of infection are coming down because of social distancing and the effectiveness of the quarantines, the aide said. Were taking stock of whats actually needed. This isnt a Clyburn moment to take advantage of a crisis.
House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) told Democratic colleagues in a conference call last month that the expected rounds of economic stimulus legislation are a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.
Schumer and Pelosi have been urged by their respective caucuses to seek more money for state and local governments, vote-by-mail programs, student debt relief, Social Security benefits and cash-strapped employer-provided pension programs.
At the same time, McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyThe Hill’s Coronavirus Report: Dybul interview; Boris Johnson updatePelosi, McConnell clash over next coronavirus billPelosi scales back coronavirus infrastructure proposalMORE (R-Calif.) have to contend with conservative colleagues who are disgruntled by elements of the second and third coronavirus relief laws, such as mandated paid sick leave and beefed-up unemployment benefits that in some states may exceed 100 percent of a workers regular pay check.
McConnell called on his colleagues to gag and vote for the second bill, drafted by House Democrats projected to cost more than $100 billion which included the paid sick leave provisions because the nation was in crisis. McConnell later said it was necessary for the sake of building bipartisan momentum. The Senate then took the steering wheel on the CARES Act.
Republican lawmakers viewed it as imperative to pass the largely Senate GOP-drafted bill as quickly as possible under threat of a precipitous collapse of stock prices.
Now, however, Senate Republicans say the scenario is different, as the rate of new coronavirus infections is starting to stabilize, and Trump proclaimed Sunday theres light at the end of the tunnel.
Sen. Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanGOP senator to donate 2 months of salary in coronavirus fightSenators pen op-ed calling for remote voting amid coronavirus pandemicSome Democrats growing antsy as Senate talks drag onMORE (Ohio), one of the GOP authors of the CARES Act, says Congress should take its time on the next bill.
The fact is weve got to be sure we arent wasting money, he told The Hugh Hewitt Show on Monday. Weve got to make sure were spending money properly.
The senior GOP aide said, everybody knows theres going to need to be a 4.0 [bill].
Were going to need to give more money to hospitals and health care professionals. Were going to have to give more money to states and locals, were going to have to give more money to schools. But its not like the market is saying, Oh my God, when is 4.0 coming? the aide said. Theres not as much urgency to doing a 4.0 right now.
A second Senate GOP aide said they cant imagine anything big getting through this month, adding, I doubt that well be back on the 20th.
McConnell told The Associated Press last week there will be a next measure but cautioned he didnt want to rush into passing another bill before lawmakers had a chance to assess the impact of the CARES Act.