Negotiators are meeting behind closed doors.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has set up the first vote related to a mammoth stimulus package over the coronavirus for Sunday.
On Friday, he teed up a “shell” bill, a placeholder for the agreement, if one is reached. Under Senate rules, the earliest a procedural vote could happen is Sunday.
The senate leader said, “I just filed cloture on the motion to proceed to a shell that will serve as the vehicle… Member-level discussion is going on as we speak. The goal is to reach agreements on each of the four components of the legislation by the end of the day,” he said.
The four areas where agreement is being negotiated are health care, small business, tax, and impacted industries like airlines. The package is expected to cost approximately $1 trillion, although some in the Senate said the number could climb as they continue to negotiate.
As of Friday afternoon, Senator John Thune of South Dakota said two main sticking points remain: a debate over whether to bolster unemployment insurance, and funding for hospitals.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For members of the Senate who will be working all weekend long to ready the massive stimulus package for a vote.
- For Senator McConnell as he leads the Senate through the morass of procedures in order to achieve a vote.
Sources: The Hill, Politico
