WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) – Democratic and Republican leaders in the US Congress said separately on Sunday they believed they were “close” to a vote to pass a $ 900 billion package to provide the first new aid in months. to an economy hit by the pandemic.
His comments came after a negotiation late Saturday in which senators from both parties reached a compromise to clear one of the final hurdles, a dispute over the Federal Reserve’s lending authorities in the pandemic.
The package would provide $ 600 in direct payments to individuals and an unemployment compensation supplement of $ 300 per week, within a $ 1.4 trillion spending bill that will fund the activity of the United States government through September 2021. .
But at least one senior Republican in the Senate said there may not be enough time to pass the measures before the midnight deadline (0500 GMT Monday), which could raise the need for another continuing resolution to keep the government. working.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, assured reporters Sunday that she wanted to give members some time to review the package before calling a vote.
“I think we are close, we are very close,” Pelosi said. “But we want the members to have enough time to review everything.”
His Senate counterpart, Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, told reporters that “I think we are very, very close.”
Sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Sunday that the deal was expected to give US airlines $ 15 billion in new payroll assistance, allowing them to return more than 32,000 workers to their jobs through March 31.
The deal would also include $ 1 billion for the Amtrak passenger rail, $ 14 billion for public transportation systems and $ 10 billion for state highways, one of the sources said.
The House of Representatives entered session at 1700 GMT, but quickly went into recess and lawmakers were told to stay close and wait for votes.
“I’m optimistic it will pass,” House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said in an interview on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo.” “I am very hopeful that we can do this today.”
Republican Senator John Cornyn said he was concerned that lawmakers would not have enough time to review the agreement and vote on it before midnight.
Sen. Pat Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, insisted on language that would ensure the Federal Reserve could not bail out emergency loan programs for small businesses and state and local governments after Dec. 31, when they expire under the CARES relief legislation. for COVID-19 approved in March.
Republicans had called the programs unnecessary government interference in private business and that it politicizes the Fed, and accused Democrats of seeking to extend them through 2021 as a back door to providing uncontrolled funding to state and local governments. controlled by members of your party.
Democrats, in turn, accused Republicans of trying to tie the Federal Reserve’s hands in order to limit President-elect Joe Biden’s options to fuel the failing economy after he takes office on January 20.
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Chart: COVID follower around the world tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi
Chart: Where Coronavirus Cases Rise and Fall in the US tmsnrt.rs/2WTOZDR
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Reporting by David Lawder and Patricia Zengerle in Washington, Additional reporting by Susan Heavey, Idress Ali and Daniel Burns, Written by Grant McCool, Edited in Spanish by Manuel Farías
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