By Hanna Park
(Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
A bipartisan group of senators proposed a new $908 billion COVID-19 stimulus package on Tuesday, one of the few advances made toward coronavirus aid after several months of failed talks in Washington.
The plan remains fluid for now and its success depends on the support from both Democrat and Republican party leaders – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who wants a broad multitrillion-dollar package, and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who wants a targeted $500 billion bill – Forbes reports.
Both parties need to be willing to bring a new bill to the House and Senate floors in the next two weeks. However, a passage for a comprehensive package before the end of the year seems unlikely, given how divergent the parties remain on key concerns, according to Axios.
When asked whether Pelosi or McConnell had indicated support for the new bipartisan framework, Sen. Manchin said in a Tuesday press briefing, “we have not had assurances” from either leader, per Forbes.
Sen. Mitt Romney, one of the key lawmakers involved, said in the briefing that the plan only includes $348 billion in new money and $560 billion repurposed from March’s CARES Act, which provided economic assistance to American workers, families and businesses.
Here is a breakdown of the proposal's funding:
- State and local: $160 billion
- Additional unemployment insurance: $180 billion
- Support for small businesses: $288 billion
- Transportation: $45 billion
- Vaccine development, distribution and testing: $16 billion
- Healthcare provider relief fund: $35 billion
- Education: $82 billion
- Student loans: $4 billion
- Housing assistance (rental): $25 billion
- Nutrition/Agriculture: $26 billion
- U.S. Postal Service: $10 billion
- Childcare: $10 billion
- Broadband: $10 billion
- Opioid treatment: $5 billion
- Community lender support: $12 billion