McConnell, Pelosi to Make New Stimulus Bill a Top Priority Now That Election Is Over

By Madelaine D. First Posted: Nov 07, 2020 04:58 AM EST

Both Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi are making the COVID-19 stimulus bill their top priority now that the presidential election is over.

Mitch McConnell and Nancy Pelosi Both Want to Prioritize Stimulus Bill Now That Election is Over

(Photo : Brendan Smialowski-Pool/Getty Images)
Casket Carrying John Lewis Departs Capitol Building For Atlanta WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 29: Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) arrive to watch a casket with the remains of Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) be carried from the U.S. Capitol building July 29, 2020, in Washington, DC. After lying in state at the Capitol, the body of Lewis will go to Atlanta, Georgia where he will lie in repose at the State Capitol ahead of Thursday's funeral service.

According to The Sun, it appears that the two officials are finally in agreement to pass a new relief bill before the year ends.

After months of negotiation between the White House and Pelosi, both McConnell and Pelosi renewed their calls for another round of coronavirus stimulus package on Friday.

Pelosi said she is "calling the administration to come back to the table" when reporters asked her about the stimulus bill during her daily White House press briefing.

Pelosi made the comment after McConnell said a new relief bill is "job one" when Congress returns.

This week, McConnell said: "As I've said repeatedly in the last few months, we need another rescue package. Hopefully, the partisan passions that prevented us from doing another rescue package will subside with the election."

He also said that he thinks they need to do it by the end of the year.

On Friday, McConnell repeated that the country needs a new stimulus package. However, he maintained that "something smaller" than "another $3 trillion is more appropriate."

Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin have been in talks for months about the proposal, but they fail to reach an agreement.

Pelosi repeatedly said that she is willing to work with the White House to make a deal, whether it's President Donald Trump who wins the election or Democratic bet Joe Biden.

Before the election, the House Speaker has called for Republicans to restart stimulus talks that fell apart and said the "imperative to act could not be greater."

The CARES Act, which was passed in March, has given financial assistance to millions of Americans who are suffering from COVID-19's economic impact. It included benefits such as a $600 weekly unemployment bonus and a $1,200 stimulus check.

Following the expiration of the unemployment bonus at the end of July, Trump has signed an executive order to extend the program to some degree. All of the most significant stimulus programs will expire on Dec. 31.

Both the Democrats and Republicans negotiate a $2 trillion package, including unemployment benefits, small business aid, state, and local funding, and $1,200 stimulus checks.

The significant problems that hinder the agreement are money allocated towards state and local government, education funding, COVID-19 testing, and unemployment benefits.

Representative Cindy Axne (D-Iowa) urged McConnell, Pelosi, and Trump on Thursday to immediately act on a new stimulus bill.

In a letter, Axne wrote: "I urge you to act swiftly to reach a full agreement to fight the COVID-19 pandemic and provide relief to Americans who are suffering from the economic fallout."

She noted that not only a relief package is desperately overdue to the Americans, but they also see COVID-19 cases rapidly rising nationwide.