"Make it Big and Focused": Trump Urges Congress to Renew Coronavirus Relief Bill Efforts
President Donald Trump pushed on Saturday for renewed efforts to proceed with further coronavirus relief to sustain the United States as the coronavirus pandemic sets record numbers across the country.
It was first comments Trump made on coronavirus relief since the election, noted several news organizations.
"Congress must now do a Covid Relief Bill," Trump said in a tweet, urging Democratic support for the bill.
"Make it big and focused. Get it done!" he added.
Newsweek noted that while Trump had not said much about the coronavirus relief bill after November 3, he had been actively pushing for it before.
He stumped hard on both Democrats and Republicans to strike a deal, but negotiations have been stuck on a standstill for months. Ultimately, it led to a collapse in the final days before Election Day.
Read also: Chances for Quick Stimulus Narrow With Both Democrats, Republicans Refuse to Budge
Prior to the election, more than a month ago, he urged the negotiators to "go big" on the price tag, much like he did with his latest comment.
Business Insider also noted instances where he said he could get behind the much larger $2.4 trillion plan laid out by Democrats.
But in late October, Trump started throwing blame at Democrats for demanding too much.
He particularly blamed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer, saying he doesn't see a way the two will be "willing to do what is right for our great American workers."
"Their primary focus is BAILING OUT poorly run (and high crime) Democrat cities and states Should take care of our people," Trump tweeted.
Republicans didn't favor the large stimulus package initially supported by Trump before elections as well.
On top of that, after several major news networks have called the election for Democrat Joe Biden, the president's administration decided to step back from negotiations this week.
Read also: 3 Major Ways the Election Could Affect the Fate of Stimulus Checks
Presently, the matter is in the hands of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Pelosi, said Bloomberg.
Talks haven't restarted yet but McConnell will be taking the lead on stimulus negotiations for Republicans while the White House takes on the backseat.
Dueling Priorities in Coronavirus Relief
The reason stimulus has been stuck for a while is because both sides of the aisle have different priorities on the package.
Even though Trump had, at times, expressed support for a larger bill, it is unlikely to break a stalemate in Congress, even with the surge of coronavirus cases that came during the cold weather season.
The GOP wants a smaller, targeted relief package that amounts to just about $500 billion. Democrats blocked it multiple times, insisting on their big price for the stimulus.
McConnell said the U.S. economy is currently showing signs of improvement, so offering big assistance was unnecessary. He cited the falling unemployment rate and growing budget deficit.
"I don't think the current situation demands a multitrillion-dollar package," he said on Tuesday.
If negotiations still lead nowhere and Biden gets certified and inaugurated into office, another relief package may be in sight by January.
But even then, Americans will still need to wait for the legislation to go through Congress for the arrival of more federal aid.
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