Manchin Optimistic About COVID Relief Package
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WASHINGTON -- An emergency pandemic relief bill to help people and the economy has bipartisan support and will pass the House and Senate, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said Wednesday.
The compromise package worth more than $900 billion includes $600 payments to individuals, additional unemployment compensation of $300 a week and funds for food assistance, eviction prevention, the Paycheck Protection Program and student loan help, among other aid.
“Lifeline” issues got priority, he said.
“Things that had to be done,” the West Virginia Democrat said.
The legislation includes nothing for aid to state and local governments or liability protections for businesses, Manchin said. Agreements and compromises between the Democrats and Republicans could not be reached, he said.
The latest round of economic stimulus aid because of the COVID-19 pandemic was stalled over several issues, such as the amount of aid supported by Republicans and Democrats in Congress, Manchin said.
Republicans supported an aid package of $500 billion to $600 billion and Democrats wanted around $1.3 trillion, he said.
“Neither one of those would fly,” Manchin said.
Manchin spoke to reporters from West Virginia by Zoom conference from his office in Washington. The senator said he was among a group of eight Democrat and Republican senators first meeting for dinner at the home of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to work on a compromise to help Americans and businesses who have lost jobs or closed because of the pandemic.
More groups and senators and representatives became supportive as the process progressed, according to Manchin.
“I’m very proud of the bipartisan group that came together,” he said.
The bill could be passed by this weekend, Manchin said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in a speech in the Senate Wednesday morning, said “major headway” has been made on the relief package that could pass the House and Senate with bipartisan majorities.
“And we agreed we should not leave town until we’ve made law,” McConnell said.