A large COVID-19 relief package to help the economy rebound appears increasingly unlikely during the lame-duck session of Congress, as Republicans and Democrats remain far apart on how much to spend.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., remained adamant in a press conference on November 6 that representatives' goal is to crush the virus with a large aid package despite arguments made by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., that a recent positive jobs report is proof that a small package would suffice.
“That isn’t anything that we should even be looking at. It wasn’t the right thing to do before,” Pelosi said, referring to a skinny bill pushed by McConnell before the election. There has been little interest among Senate Republicans to approve a large package — one worth over $1 trillion — despite a late push by the White House to acquiesce to some of the demands of Democrats.
But the interest of the White House may wane if President Trump loses the election. White House National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told reporters November 6 that the goal was still to release a targeted package that would extend the Paycheck Protection Program, among other relief measures.
“It worked brilliantly,” Kudlow said about the small business loan program. Kudlow also signaled support for supplying schools and hospitals with more funds and urged Congress to approve further unemployment insurance.
Kudlow said talks with McConnell are ongoing and that he thinks it is in lawmakers' best interest to pass a relief bill. Lawmakers will also need to approve an omnibus appropriations bill during the lame duck to keep the government open.
Pelosi rejected the idea of approving a short-term continuing resolution to maintain government funding, and McConnell told reporters in a press conference that he similarly wanted a broader spending package rather than a temporary resolution.
The Senate will convene on November 9, and it is expected to approve more federal judges.