House and Senate leaders have not talked to each other about a deal to pass a coronavirus aid package, despite a desire by both parties to clear a measure in the lame-duck session.
“We’ve had no private discussion about this,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, told reporters Tuesday.
Democrats issued a new letter shortly after McConnell’s remarks, calling on him to negotiate a deal.
But the two parties are showing no movement toward each other that would bridge the wide gap between their two plans to provide more federal aid.
Democrats are eager to win as much of the $3.4 trillion package they passed in the House in May, while McConnell and the GOP said they’ll only agree to a more targeted, $500 billion package Republicans voted to support earlier this year.
“I am open to a targeted bill roughly in the amount we recommended,” McConnell said.
The GOP bill would provide funding for schools, healthcare, and small businesses and would include a lawsuit liability provision, which McConnell said would protect from “an epidemic of lawsuits” related to the coronavirus.
Democrats, in their open letter to McConnell, said his plan falls short and argued that their party has lowered the cost of their proposal to $2.2 trillion, a reduction of $1.2 trillion.
“Since that time, you have lowered your proposal from $1 trillion to $500 billion, despite the consensus from economists and experts that the country requires a much larger injection of aid,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York wrote to McConnell. “Meaningful relief requires aid to schools, small businesses, and individuals where the virus has torn through communities and left many stranded without help.”
Senate GOP leaders responded to the letter by questioning the motives of their Democratic counterparts.
“You can always tell how serious members of Congress are when they write a letter and release to the press,” Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican and member of the leadership team, tweeted. “Phone, anyone? How about a virtual or a masked and socially distanced meeting? #forshow. #getserious.”
