WASHINGTON (AP) – Hopes are dimming for another coronavirus relief bill from Washington as Congress returns to session. Talks between top Democrats and the Trump administration broke off last month and remain off track.
The legislation was supposed to deliver another round of $1,200 direct payments to most Americans, help schools and local governments and restore more generous unemployment benefits.
Democrats passed an over $3-trillion bill over two months ago which also includes money for struggling states; Republicans and the White House are demanding a much smaller package and have resisted helping states hit hard by the COVID pandemic.
Senate Republicans are preparing to unveil their own slimmed-down version of the bill this week, without any input from Democrats.
North Texas Representative Michael Burgess was on “Fox and Friends First” to discuss the stalemate:
It’s been several weeks since critical relief programs from the CARES Act expired.
Meantime, the bi-partisan National Governors Association says money is needed across the board as states face budget shortfalls amid the COVID pandemic.
The White House has said that it won’t “bail out poorly run” Democratic states.
