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Senate to take up coronavirus package after House passes revised bill

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Democrats will unveil a „comprehensive proposal“ as early as Tuesday for the third coronavirus package that will provide „an immediate infusion of at least $750 billion“ to respond to the crisis, including more money for hospitals, expanded unemployment insurance, more funds for small business, help with child care, and food assistance for seniors, among other issues.

Some Republicans expressed doubt that the Senate would approve the more modest House package without changes, much less a far costlier future package. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) predicted Monday on „Fox & Friends“ that the House coronavirus bill as written will not pass the Senate, raising questions about its paid sick leave provisions.

„It doesn’t go far enough and it doesn’t go fast enough,“ Cotton said. „Most of the measures in this bill are something that the senators will support, I believe. … But we worry that the bill setting up a new and complicated system relying on businesses giving paid sick leave and then getting a refundable tax credit that won’t move quickly enough and could put pressure on those businesses to lay workers off.“

Aaron MacLean, Cotton’s legislative director, sent an email to his fellow legislative directors Monday, saying the Arkansas Republican „feels strongly that the Senate should not accept the Pelosi-Mnuchin plan as a given for ‘Phase II.’” He is urging the Senate to „adopt its own plan for economic assistance“ with tax rebates, changes to the qualifications for unemployment insurance and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and a more expansive program for low-interest loans to businesses. He has made his view clear to the White House.

As the Senate waited for the House to work through its technical corrections package, it unanimously agreed to a short-term extension of key surveillance programs, which expired over the weekend. That now gives the Senate the bandwidth to focus its attention on the coronavirus package.

Coronavirus cases continue to increase throughput the U.S., ravaging the economy and causing major disruptions to everyday life. The coronavirus has also made its way to Capitol Hill, with at least two D.C. staffers — one working for Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and for Rep. David Schweikert’s (R-Ariz.) — testing positive. And a Delaware-based staffer for Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) also positive.

In an effort to practice social distancing, Schumer (D-N.Y.) has told members that Tuesday’s caucus lunch will be done via conference call, according to a spokesperson.

The American Hospital Association, the American Medical Association and the American Nurses Association sent a letter Monday to McConnell and Pelosi, asking Congress to „provide additional supplemental emergency funding of at least $1 billion,“ as the health care system responds to the outbreak.

The number of coronavirus cases in the United States jumped to more than 3,500 over the weekend. And on Sunday, the Centers for Disease Control recommended Americans cancel or postpone gatherings of 50 or more people for eight weeks.

Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer contributed to this report.

Source: politico.com
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