Will Renewed Urgency Over Stimulus Bill Yield A Deal?
Lawmakers are negotiating after months of stalled progress. The leading $908-billion package was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators. In chilly New Hampshire, lawmakers meet outside.
The Washington Post:
Bipartisan Group Of Lawmakers Announces $908 Billion Stimulus Plan, Aiming To Break Logjam
A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a coronavirus aid proposal worth about $908 billion on Tuesday, aiming to break a months-long partisan impasse over emergency federal relief for the U.S. economy amid the ongoing pandemic. The new plan came amid a flurry of congressional jostling about the shape of economic relief, with House Democrats assembling a new proposal, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) creating a new plan and President-elect Joe Biden calling for a massive government response. The growing calls for action have not led to a unified approach, prompting political leaders to forge ahead in different directions. (Min Kim, Stein and DeBonis, 12/1)
The Hill:
McConnell Offering New Coronavirus Relief Bill After Talks With Mnuchin, Meadows
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday circulated a new coronavirus relief proposal that could garner support from the White House among Senate Republicans on Tuesday. McConnell, during a weekly press conference on Tuesday, said he had been speaking with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows about what President Trump could sign. (Carney, 12/1)
In related news about COVID-relief legislation —
The Hill:
Rare Mnuchin-Powell Spat Takes Center Stage At COVID-19 Hearing
A rare public break between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell took center stage during a Senate hearing Tuesday as Republicans and Democrats sparred over the expiration of coronavirus relief. Democrats were eager to exploit the fallout from Mnuchin’s recent decision to close $454 billion in Fed emergency lending facilities set up through the $2.2 trillion CARES Act, a move that elicited public criticism from Powell. (Lane, 12/1)
Politico:
Coronavirus Urgency Grips Divided Capitol
After months of stalemate, there’s finally a flurry of congressional activity as the coronavirus crisis worsens. But with lawmakers proposing dueling measures and Hill leaders divided over the best path forward, a major relief package approved in December remains elusive. A bipartisan congressional group struck a broad coronavirus compromise on Tuesday, a significant breakthrough after months of failed negotiations. And Speaker Nancy Pelosi restarted her talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin after they fell apart before the November election. (Everett and Caygle, 12/1)
AP:
Iowa Governor Not Planning State Funds Use For Virus Relief
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday called for Congress to approve money for businesses and families struggling because of the coronavirus pandemic, but she said there are no plans to use available state funds as officials elsewhere have done. Some legislatures are considering allocating state funds as a stopgap measure until Congress agrees to additional federal relief. Asked Tuesday whether she was considering calling lawmakers back into session to approve such a move, she said no. (Pitt, 12/1)
Also —
The Hill:
Group Launches Ads Opposing Bipartisan Fix To 'Surprise' Medical Bills
A fiscally conservative group is putting six figures behind new digital ads aimed at sinking a measure to ban the “surprise” medical bills patients get from hospitals and services that aren’t covered by insurance. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance will launch a new ad on Wednesday accusing big insurance companies of trying to push a bill through the lame duck Congress that aims to ban surprise medical bills through “benchmarking,” which sets prices based on the average for a provided service. (Easley, 12/1)
The Washington Post:
Safety Concerns Mean That New Hampshire Lawmakers Are ‘Bundling Up’ And Starting Their Session Outdoors
At the warmest point of the day on Wednesday, the temperature in Concord, N.H., will be just 10 degrees above freezing. But sun is in the forecast — which should come as a relief to members of the New Hampshire lawmakers, who plan to kick off the new legislative session outdoors. “People will be bundling up,” Steve Shurtleff, a Democratic state representative, told the Associated Press. “I think we could relax our dress codes so people can dress appropriately.” (Farzan, 12/2)
NPR:
How The Coronavirus Has Affected Individual Members Of Congress
The coronavirus pandemic continues to upend the daily work of Congress, which has seen a series of outbreaks. By November, more than 25 members of Congress and at least 150 workers have tested positive, or were presumed so, for the coronavirus. And a Florida member's aide died this summer from COVID-19. As a result, both chambers of Congress have recessed multiple times throughout the year as the Capitol has largely gone without a widespread testing program. (Grisales and Carlsen, 12/1)
