Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiBattle over reopening schools heats up Pelosi: Trump wearing a mask is 'an admission' that it can stop spread of coronavirus Sunday shows - Spotlight shifts to reopening schools MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerDemocrats blast Trump for commuting Roger Stone: 'The most corrupt president in history' A renewed emphasis on research and development funding is needed from the government Data shows seven Senate Democrats have majority non-white staffs MORE (D-N.Y.) urged Republicans to "stop posturing" and negotiate on an "interim" coronavirus relief bill that is currently stalemated by partisan divisions.
Nancy PelosiBattle over reopening schools heats up Pelosi: Trump wearing a mask is 'an admission' that it can stop spread of coronavirus Sunday shows - Spotlight shifts to reopening schools MORE (D-Calif.) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerDemocrats blast Trump for commuting Roger Stone: 'The most corrupt president in history' A renewed emphasis on research and development funding is needed from the government Data shows seven Senate Democrats have majority non-white staffs MORE (D-N.Y.) urged Republicans to "stop posturing" and negotiate on an "interim" coronavirus relief bill that is currently stalemated by partisan divisions. Their comments come after the Senate blocked two coronavirus relief bills — one from Republicans and an attempt to expand it by Democrats — on Thursday.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellCongress pulls punches on Russian bounties firestorm Congress under pressure to provide billions for school openings Hillicon Valley: Facebook considers political ad ban | Senators raise concerns over civil rights audit | Amazon reverses on telling workers to delete TikTok MORE (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin Owen McCarthyCongress under pressure to provide billions for school openings Supreme Court rulings reignite Trump oversight wars in Congress The Hill's Campaign Report: Florida's coronavirus surge raises questions about GOP convention MORE (R-Calif.) said over the weekend that they would keep trying to pass the "clean" GOP bill, which would provide an additional $250 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), appearing to reject a Democratic push to negotiate a larger package. The program, which got $350 billion as part of the third coronavirus relief bill, provides loans and grants for businesses with fewer than 500 employees.
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellCongress pulls punches on Russian bounties firestorm Congress under pressure to provide billions for school openings Hillicon Valley: Facebook considers political ad ban | Senators raise concerns over civil rights audit | Amazon reverses on telling workers to delete TikTok MORE (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthyKevin Owen McCarthyCongress under pressure to provide billions for school openings Supreme Court rulings reignite Trump oversight wars in Congress The Hill's Campaign Report: Florida's coronavirus surge raises questions about GOP convention MORE (R-Calif.) said over the weekend that they would keep trying to pass the "clean" GOP bill, which would provide an additional $250 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), appearing to reject a Democratic push to negotiate a larger package. The program, which got $350 billion as part of the third coronavirus relief bill, provides loans and grants for businesses with fewer than 500 employees. But Democrats, while saying they aren't opposed to more small-business money, want it to be paired with an additional $100 billion for hospitals, $150 billion for state and local governments and a boost in food assistance funding.
Democrats also want to make changes to the PPP, ensuring that half of the new $250 billion in funding goes through "community-based financial institutions that serve farmers, family, women, minority and veteran-owned small businesses." Democrats have raised concerns that the current setup of the program favors larger businesses with existing connections to a lender.
“Further changes must also be made to the SBA’s [Small Business Administration] assistance initiative, as many eligible small businesses continue to be excluded from the Paycheck Protection Program by big banks with significant lending capacity," Pelosi and Schumer said, while agreeing that more money for the program is needed to "satisfy the hundreds of billions in oversubscribed demand."
The stalemate between leadership in both parties comes as nearly half of the initial $350 billion has already been obligated. White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow
Lawrence (Larry) Alan KudlowMORE, during an interview with Fox Business late last week, predicted that the initial funding for the program would run out on Friday.The Senate will hold brief sessions this week on Monday and Thursday, giving them two days to try to pass the new small-business funding before Kudlow's deadline.
Schumer indicated on Friday that he was hoping for a deal early this week, but neither side has indicated they've made progress toward resolving the standoff. Pelosi, meanwhile, spoke to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin
Steven Terner MnuchinOn The Money: Supreme Court upholds NY prosecutors' access to Trump's tax returns, rebuffs Congress | Trump complains of 'political prosecution' | Biden rebukes Trump, rolls out jobs plan Mnuchin: Next stimulus bill must cap jobless benefits at 100 percent of previous income Why Trump can't make up his mind on China MORE on Friday about the Democratic push for a larger "interim" package.
Steven Terner MnuchinOn The Money: Supreme Court upholds NY prosecutors' access to Trump's tax returns, rebuffs Congress | Trump complains of 'political prosecution' | Biden rebukes Trump, rolls out jobs plan Mnuchin: Next stimulus bill must cap jobless benefits at 100 percent of previous income Why Trump can't make up his mind on China MORE on Friday about the Democratic push for a larger "interim" package. Democrats indicated on Monday that they also want funding for nationwide testing and personal protective equipment.
“We all desire an end to the shutdown orders so we can get Americans back to work and back to normal," they said. "However, there is still not enough testing available to realistically allow that to happen."
“We all desire an end to the shutdown orders so we can get Americans back to work and back to normal," they said. "However, there is still not enough testing available to realistically allow that to happen."
