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Treasury Secretary Steven Menuchin said on Friday that he and senior GOP lawmakers would try to draft targeted stimulus packages with Democrats in the coming weeks.
Mnuchin reported that he and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows later on Friday with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Q. And House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, along with R-California, will brainstorm for another targeted relief package. .
Meaduchin, who led President Donald Trump’s provocative discussions with Meadows for months, expressed some optimism that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., after an agreement Can be more open. 2020 election.
“I can tell you that Mark Meadows and I will talk with Mitch McConnell and Kevin McCarthy this morning.” “And we’re going to come up with a plan to sit down with Pelosi and Schumer and try to get a targeted bill for the people that really needs it. And hopefully Democrats will work with us.”
Lawmakers have struggled for months to pass additional economic stimulus, with few signs of passing the finish line. McConnell offered more excitement-related commentary on his thoughts on Friday afternoon.
“Republicans are supporting the passing of such urgent and targeted measures as soon as possible,” he said in the press release. “American workers shouldn’t lose their jobs in vain when the second round of the job-saving paycheck protection program for the hardest hit small businesses will make a huge difference.”
“Our medical system should not be denied additional support, including delivering life-saving vaccines that appear on the horizon,” the Senate Majority Leader said.
Congress passed a landmark $ 2 trillion bill in March, known as the CARES Act, which included funding for a paycheck protection program, unemployment benefits and $ 1,200 direct payments to most American workers.
But many of those stimulus provisions expired or ended during the summer, igniting a debate on Capitol Hill about whether they needed to be revived.
Democrats have argued for more robust spending not only to increase unemployment benefits and PPPs, but also to help state and local governments that appeared to reduce budgetary deficits due to the impact of coronoviruses on trade Huh.
White House and Senate Republicans, who say they are more concerned about the price tag, have called for smaller, more targeted measures that would limit aid to the toughest industries such as travel, restaurants and hospitality.
“I understand that the Democrats didn’t want us to do anything before the election because they didn’t want to do anything that might be helpful to the president,” Mnuchin added on Friday morning. “But I expected, now that we are past the election, the Democrats will now work with us.”
Democrats control the House and will gain a more narrow majority when the next Congress begins in January. Republicans now have a Senate majority, and two January by-elections in Georgia will determine if they hold it for the next two years. Democrats chose one Senate seat in this month’s elections.
President-Elect Joe Biden has supported Democrats’ support for a bill costing at least $ 2.2 trillion.
The Treasury Department said it took the Secretary’s comment with greater interest Friday morning, less than a day after not trying to pursue a handful of lending programs initiated with the Federal Reserve during the early days of the coronary epidemic Gone.
Money for those programs is set to expire at the end of the year and if congressional approval is required, Munuchin wants to prolong his termination.
Lending facilities cover corporate bond buying, loans to state and local governments, and the Main Street Lending Program to small and medium-sized businesses. The Fed said it wanted to expand the programs.