$3 Trillion House Coronavirus Bill Declared Dead On Arrival In The Senate

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$3 Trillion House Coronavirus Bill Declared Dead On Arrival In The Senate

Senate Majority Leader McConnell and senior members of the Senate GOP caucus dismissed the roughly $3 trillion House coronavirus bill released on Tuesday, declaring it “dead on arrival” in the Senate. 

McConnell, speaking to the press after a closed-door caucus meeting, said Republicans would “insist on narrowly targeted legislation.” 

“What you’ve seen in the House [from] Nancy is not something designed to deal with reality, but designed to deal with aspirations. This is not a time for aspirational legislation, this is a time for practical response to the coronavirus pandemic,” McConnell said, referring to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi .

Senator John Barrasso, labelled the House bill a “payoff” to the House Speaker’s constituents, promising that it will “never pass the Senate.”

Senator Lindsey Graham called the bill “dead on arrival.” 

Democrats in the House introduced their latest relief bill on Tuesday, carrying an almost $3 trillion price tag. The motion, which could be voted on in the House as early as Friday, will include funding for food assistance, state and local governments, expansion of the direct stimulus payments to individuals and hazard pay for essential workers, and other provisions.

But the bill fizzled among Senate Republicans, whose seemed reluctant to even get the bill scheduled for a vote on the floor, much less to pass it. 

Senator John Thune, argued that the House bill wasn’t designed to pass, calling it a “messaging exercise.”  

The Senate Leader implied that he wants to start with an understanding with the White House that additional action is required before he opens negotiations with the opposition.  

“I’m in discussion, we all are, with the administration. If we reach a decision along with the administration to move to another phase, that’ll be the time to interact with the Democrats,” he said.

Democrats however, have slammed the Republican leader for his approach, arguing that with the coronavirus still causing economic devastation, it is not the time for a “pause.” 

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