The bipartisan group of U.S. Senators and Representatives pitching a second stimulus package is trying a unique approach to get the relief bill passed.
The members of Congress working furiously to aid businesses around the country, including the beleaguered travel industry, are asking their fellow legislators to now consider the $908 billion relief bill in two parts.
The group is asking Congress to vote on a $748 billion package of widely supported items such as small business loans and payroll protection, followed by a separate $160 billion vote on more contentious details that seemingly have held up passage of the bill along party lines, including liability protections for businesses as well as state and local aid.
According to the original bill proposal, airlines would receive $17 billion in aid after getting $25 billion in grants and loans from the CARES Act bill passed by Congress in March. It is not known if that $17 billion figure has changed when the group presented a fact sheet on Monday that called for a combined $45 billion for airlines and struggling mass transit systems, $16 billion for COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution, $82 billion for schools, $10 billion for the US Postal Service and $5 billion for opioid addiction treatment.
U.S. Travel Association Executive Vice President for Public Affairs and Policy Tori Emerson Barnes said the negotiations bear watching, especially with potentially 4.5 million travel and tourism jobs projected to be lost by year's end.
"Travel and tourism, which supported employment for one in 10 Americans pre-pandemic, has been spiraling for months while a relief agreement has remained just beyond political reach," she said. "It is crucial that Congress stay laser-focused on getting a measure across the finish line this year, and that it includes an expansion of the Paycheck Protection Program to include eligibility for non-profit destination marketing organizations and a second draw of funds for the hardest-hit industries. It's also important to keep in mind that whatever is passed is a critical bridge for hurting businesses to have any hope of making it to 2021. It is imperative that Congress act now."
Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) said, "It would be Scrooge-like if we went away and left folks the day after Christmas to lose their unemployment, or the day after New Year's to lose their apartment."
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), another member of the bipartisan group, said it made sense to segment off the more controversial parts of the proposal that have caused an impasse for months now.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he is hopeful.
"For months - literally, months - both sides in Congress have known roughly what the shape of a compromise rescue package would look like. We know all the areas where we do not even disagree," McConnell said in a floor speech Monday. But alas, partisan dynamics and political posturing have prevented us from getting more relief out the door, even in areas where nobody even claims to disagree. (Congress should) agree where we can and help people who need it."
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