Senate Republican relief bill will likely focus on business liability, education

LOUISVILLE, Ken. (WAVE) – The Senate’s top Republican says another coronavirus relief bill will be taken up when they return to session later in July.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) reinforced what he sees as essential for a bill to pass the Senate including liability protection from COVID-related lawsuits for businesses, schools, and non-profits.

“Unless you’re grossly negligent or intentionally engaging in harmful conduct you should be protected from liability during this process,” McConnel said. “Why is that necessary? As of a couple weeks ago, there were already over 1,100 lawsuits filed and there’s an army of trial lawyers out there ready to take advantage of this situation. We cannot get back to normal if we have an epidemic of lawsuits.”

McConnel said a top priority is funding to help get children back into school this fall.

“Everybody knows we can’t get back to normal without going back to school,” McConnel explained. “So that will be part of any package that I craft and we take up in the Senate for debate to do whatever we can to help get America back to normal and right at the top of the list is kids in school. Parents are literally petrified at the possibility of kids not being back in, and that affects jobs obviously.”

McConnell again emphasized that wearing masks in public is the best way to contain the COVID spread and to get life and the economy back to normal more quickly.