Senate Republicans to vote on skinny COVID-19 relief bill this week

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday said he will set up a vote on the slimmed-down COVID-19 relief bill for later this week.

“It does not contain every idea our party likes. I am confident Democrats will feel the same. Yet Republicans believe the many serious differences between our two parties should not stand in the way of agreeing where we can agree and making law that helps our nation,” Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said in a statement.

He also slammed Democrats, blaming them for stonewalling negotiations last month.

In particular, he criticized House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, for rejecting all stop-gap or “skinny” proposals Republicans put forward but then passed her own bill just to address the service issues and funding needs of the United States Postal Service.

“I will make sure every Senate Democrat who has said they’d like to reach an agreement gets the opportunity to walk the walk,” Mr. McConnell said.

Talks for a more comprehensive bill collapsed last month after negotiators failed to hammer out a deal on funds for state and local governments and how much enhanced unemployment aid should be provided.

The GOP’s “targeted” proposal hasn’t been released yet, but last week Republicans were considering $300 weekly payments for enhanced unemployment, an additional $258 billion for renewing the small business Paycheck Protection Program, $29 billion for vaccine research, $16 billion for testing and contact tracing, and $105 billion for schools.