Democrats Block Action On A Republican Authored 1.8 Trillion Dollar Coronavirus Stimulus Package

Democrats Block Action On A Republican Authored 1.8 Trillion Dollar Coronavirus Stimulus Package - REMEMBER THIS ON THIS Presidential ElectionTuesday, November 3, 2020

Senate fails a second time to pass a nearly $2 trillion stimulus package as Democrats urge more aid for workers affected by the Coronavirus outbreak

REMEMBER THIS ON THIS Presidential ElectionTuesday, November 3, 2020

Rosie Perper and Kayla Epstein

Mar 23, 2020, 1:28 PM

The US Senate failed to advance a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus package to a vote on Monday afternoon as millions of Americans anxiously waited for an aggressive government response to a looming financial crisis caused by the coronavirus.

The final tally on a motion to invoke cloture was 49-46, short of the 60-vote threshold required for the legislation to proceed. Democrats refused to support the package, arguing that the aid measure failed to adequately protect workers affected by the novel coronavirus' spread. 

The legislation is estimated to cost at least $1.8 trillion, if not more, the New York Times reported.

After the failed vote, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, a Republican, accused Democrats of partisanship.

"This has got to stop and today is the day it has to stop," McConnell said, his voice nearly climbing to a shout. "The country is out of time."

It was the second time that the legislation had been halted, after Senate Democrats blocked the advancement of the stimulus package on Sunday evening over similar concerns for workers.

As of Monday afternoon, the US had 33,404 confirmed cases of the virus and reported 400 deaths across all 50 states and several territories. 

The historic relief package was introduced by Senate Republicans on Thursday and aimed to cut corporate taxes, offer large loans to small businesses and major

corporations, and limit the paid-leave expansion passed in the emergency measure. The deal offered $250 billion directly to Americans as well as 39 weeks of unemployment insurance to eligible workers, according to Axios.

But Democrats have said the bill requires a long-term and structural response rather than a short-term influx of federal subsidies, rejecting the Republican draft and denying the GOP the 60 votes it needed to advance. The Sunday vote was split 47-47.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has called on senators to pass legislation and "signal to the public that we're ready to get this job done."

President Donald Trump has already signed two emergency bills designed to prop up government health agencies and workers affected by the coronavirus, including an $8.3 billion package for government health agencies and about $100 billion for expanded paid leave, unemployment insurance, and food and healthcare aid. 

News of failure to pass the latest stimulus package hit markets, however, leading US stock futures to plunge. 

In a press conference on Sunday night, Trump announced that the US National Guard had been activated in California, New York, and Washington state. The administration stressed that the deployment of Guard troops was not martial law but was meant to provide an additional resource governors could assign depending on the needs of communities. 

Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-democrats-block-action-on-trillion-dollar-stimulus-package-2020-3