The Congres approved this Friday to extend government funding by two dayswhile lawmakers try to agree on a broad budget bill and new economic aid package for the coronavirus pandemic.
Congress was counting down because the deadline for reaching a fiscal pact passed at midnight, or else the government would have been forced to partially discontinue the functions due to lack of funds. This two-day extension, known as a continuity resolution, gives them a little more time to continue their negotiations.
Discussions were complicated because, before that budget law, legislators have tried to add more federal aid so America’s homes and small businesses can weather the blows of the unprecedented health crisis.
But according to lawmakers like John Thune, the Senate’s second Republican, talks between congressional leaders continued until this afternoon. “In the same place and without progress”.
According to CNN, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have spent the past several hours trying to shut down pending issues over the coronavirus aid package.
The proposal for federal government funding that has been put on the table is for $ 1.4 trillion and a $ 900,000 million economic incentive to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. To date, however, there are still some issues to be resolved regarding the federal aid available, such as $ 600 or $ 700 incentive checks, which were known to be part of the discussions a few days ago.
While Senate Leader Mitch McConnell who entered the Capitol this morning was optimistic about reaching an agreement in time, there is still great uncertainty among members of Congress who were not involved in the talks. Without naming names, CNN says members of Congress so far have no information on what’s in the agreement or how long the negotiations will take.
A Republican member of the House of Representatives assured: “We haven’t heard anything, and it’s scandalous”.
It is important to clarify that once Senators Mitch McConnell, Republican Senate leader; Chuck Schumer, Democratic Senate Leader, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican House Leader Kevin McCarthy, reach an agreement, Congress must vote to approve the package sent, which can happen between Saturday and Sunday, according to Congressman Steny Hoyer.
