WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBC) – Coronavirus relief bill negotiations are hitting another impasse.
The snag is a disagreement over aid to state and local governments and lawsuit liability protections for businesses and schools.
Democrats and some Republicans argue strapped local governments need aid to keep public workers on the job and they view that as a bigger priority than the legal shield that’s championed by Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell.
The tension over those two issues were apparent on the Senate floor Friday morning.
Senator McConnell said, “In what universe should emergency aid for small businesses be contingent, contingent on massive bailouts for state governments with no linkage to actual needs? Democrats are acting like it’s more important to supply the Governor of California with a special slush fund than to help restaurant workers in California keep their jobs.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said, “What is the difference between a worker being laid off by a small business because they don’t have funding, or a worker being laid off from a state or local government because they don’t have funding? There is no difference.”
All this after a $908 billion compromise outline negotiated by senators from both parties appeared to be gaining some momentum.
The Senate must also pass a one-week stopgap spending bill by midnight to avoid a government shutdown.
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