Both houses of Congress passed a resolution this Friday maintain federal government funding over the weekend and avoid a midnight shutdownas lawmakers buy time to finalize negotiations on the projected second economic aid package for the COVID-19 pandemic, which is expected to include direct payments of $ 600 and other aid.
The measure was quickly upheld by the Senate and signed shortly after by outgoing President Donald Trump.
Congress carries on days of negotiating the federal funding plan for 2021, which had to be approved before midnight today to avoid closure.
Top lawmakers negotiated the stimulus package in parallel for days. And while a vote on the $ 900 billion emergency measure was expected next Friday, negotiating parties had further disagreements during the day, after which it is likely that a final vote will not take place until Sunday.
With Trump’s signing, there is now a new deadline (midnight on Sunday) for the approval of the 2021 federal budget. This gives negotiators a weekend to try to resolve disagreements over the aid package.
Why couldn’t the check be approved this Friday?
Congress leaders agreed to negotiate mid-week on the basis of a $ 900 billion package, agreeing to distribute additional $ 300 weekly unemployment benefits, a new round of direct payments, small business funding, and money for COVID-19 vaccines .
[“No nos vamos, se lo aseguro”: McConnell dice que el Senado aprobará más ayudas por el COVID-19 antes de cerrar por vacaciones]
However, a new hurdle emerged on Friday when Democrats sued Republicans, led by Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, of trying to hinder the incoming government, with President-elect Joe Biden at the helm, by reducing the Federal Reserve’s emergency credit facilities created by the CARES law to protect the fragile economy.
Democrats want to extend this resource into the New Year and describe it as an important tool in responding to the economic crisis.
A leading Democratic aide said that “a deal to provide aid to the American people was in the works until Senator Toomey and the Republicans insert a final purely political provision” to “tie Biden’s hands and risk the economy to take a dive. to take. “
Toomey called the issue a “top priority” in a telephone conversation with reporters, arguing that the Federal Reserve’s loan programs were intended to be “temporary” and “to end by the end of 2020.”
Democrats criticize Toomey’s position.
After weeks of refusing to acknowledge Biden’s victory, there are now some Republicans They have decided that sabotaging their presidency is more important than helping our economy recover by insisting that any COVID-19 emergency legislation also limits the ability of the Federal Reserve and the new government to assist US states, cities and businesses in the coming year, “said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D- Massachusetts.
Possible vote on Sunday
Last Friday, Senate Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was optimistic about the negotiations on the new stimulus package.
“I am even more optimistic now than last night that a two-tier, two-chamber deal for a major bailout package is near,” he said. “As I said, the Senate will be here until a deal is passed, when that happens. “
McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi each said this week that they planned to jointly negotiate the $ 1.4 billion aid package and mandatory funding bill that has been negotiated in recent weeks.
Next Friday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Democrat of Maryland, suspended the House session until 5 p.m., and since there was no agreement yet, Democrats voted the measure to avoid the government’s closure.
[Millones de familias en riesgo de ser desalojadas al perder su empleo y no poder pagar la renta]
Hoyer adjourns the House until Sunday afternoon, make it clear that there will be no vote on Saturday, even if an agreement is reached quickly about the stimulus package.
The government funding bill is ready to pass, NBC News, the sister network of Noticias Telemundo, said attendees close to the talks said. Where things are stuck in the pandemic relief package.
With information from NBC News