This can be a $500 billion invoice—down from the unacceptable $1 trillion HEALS Act McConnell tried to push again in July. It was slashed in half as a result of he actually could not get 51 Republicans behind that determine. He is holding this vote, which is clearly solely symbolic as a result of it should by no means move the Home, for his susceptible Republicans who really feel like they should have one other vote earlier than they go house to marketing campaign. The result issues naught to them. Simply have the vote. As Democratic Chief Chuck Schumer says, it is a “verify the field” vote.
There’s minimal help to the unemployed—a $300/week bump to interchange the $600/week enhancement that expired in July. There’s Cost Safety Program cash, permitting firms who’ve already gotten one mortgage to get one other. (Disclosure: Kos Media received a Paycheck Protection Program loan.) It doesn’t embody any assist to state and native governments. That means extra folks will lose their public sector jobs and extra folks shall be needing unemployment insurance coverage, Medicaid, and meals stamps. Extra folks will lose their houses.
“As an alternative of bettering their supply, Senate Republicans have made it stingier and even much less applicable to the looming disaster that now we have,” Schumer says of the invoice. “I am unsure what sort of negotiating technique that’s, however it positive is not critical technique, and it positive will not achieve success.” The true downside is that McConnell is framing this because the final prepare out of the station for coronavirus reduction earlier than the election. He totally intends to do no extra on the disaster.
