Coronavirus stimulus bill fails to move forward; McConnell cites ‘obstruction’ – By Allan Smith, Haley Talbot, Julie Tsirkin and Josh Lederman (NBC News) / March 23 2020
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters that “from my standpoint, we are apart.” Talks are continuing.
A vote to advance the massive coronavirus stimulus bill failed on Sunday night in the Senate as negotiations had yet to produce a deal on the more than $1 trillion aid package. A second vote has now been scheduled for Monday at 9:45 a.m. ET.
Republicans, who needed 60 votes to move forward on the bill, weren’t able to win over any Democrats to proceed, meaning no aid will flow to the economy — including checks to individuals, help for small businesses and bailouts for big corporations — until an agreement is reached.
Democrats said that they were dissatisfied with worker protections in the bill, which was written by Republicans, and that the rules on corporate bailouts are too lax.
“We’ll see what happens. I think we’ll get there,” President Donald Trump said at the White House moments after the measure failed to advance. “We have to help the worker. We have to save the companies.”
“All of a sudden, the Democratic leader [Chuck Schumer of New York] and the speaker of the House [Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.] shows up and we’re back to square one,” McConnell said, blaming Democrats for “obstruction.”
Continue to article: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/top-democrats-say-they-re-not-yet-ready-sign-coronavirus-n1166021
