McConnell torpedoes emerging bipartisan deal for pandemic relief, leaving Congress where it’s been for months: stuck

McConnell on Dec. 8 (Pool photo by Greg Nash via AP)
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“An emerging $900 billion Covid-19 aid package from a bipartisan group of lawmakers all but collapsed Thursday after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republican senators won’t support $160 billion in state and local funds as part of a potential trade-off,” The Associated Press reports.

McConnell’s staff told the negotiators that he “sees no path to an agreement on a key aspect of the lawmakers’ existing proposal — a slimmed-down version of the liability shield he is seeking for companies and organizations facing potential Covid-19 lawsuits — in exchange for the state and local funds that Democrats want,” AP’s Lisa Mascaro and Andrew Taylor report.

In a Senate floor speech, the Republican leader said, “While Democrats hold the Paycheck Protection Program hostage over controversial state government bailouts, family businesses are closing their doors.” Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, a Democrat, and governor of both parties are pleading for more federal aid.

“The hardened stance from McConnell, who does not appear to have enough votes from his Republican majority for a far-reaching compromise, creates a new stalemate over the $900-billion-plus package, despite days of toiling by a bipartisan group of lawmakers to strike compromise,” AP reports.