WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has unveiled a sweeping economic rescue plan to pump $1,200 checks directly to taxpayers, $300 billion for small businesses to keep idled workers on payroll and $208 billion in loans to airlines and other industries.
It’s the initial Republican offer on the biggest package yet to respond to the coronavirus outbreak. Negotiations with Democrats begin Friday.
The GOP leader’s effort builds on President Donald Trump’s request for Congress to “go big” as lawmakers race to craft a $1 trillion economic aid and stimulus package amid the pandemic crisis and nationwide shutdown that’s hurtling the country toward a likely recession.
Meantime, President Donald Trump responded to increasing pressure from states by calling on them to do more to secure their own critically needed masks, ventilators and testing supplies for hospitals coping with a rising number of coronavirus patients.
He asserted Thursday that the federal government is not a “shipping clerk.”
This, as governors complained that they’re running short of needed supplies in some states and need more federal help. Trump and his administration took additional, once-unthinkable steps to try to contain the pandemic.
The State Department issued a new alert urging Americans not to travel abroad under any circumstances. Lawmakers worked urgently toward a $1 trillion aid package.
