Now that the 2020 election is over and Congress still has work to finish, the tone seems to be changing from Senate Majority Mitch McConnell (R-KY), at least on the possibility on COVID-19 relief.
Before the election, the rhetoric was strong at the capitol. The Republican-controlled Senate was at odds with the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, who was at odds with the White House and the Trump Administration. House Democrats had floated a proposed plan that would have had a $2.2 trillion price tag. That was down from their initial proposal of $3.4 trillion. The White House countered with a package valued at $1.8 trillion. However, Senate Republicans proposed a smaller bill valued at $500 billion. Opponents said the Senate proposal would have fallen short on many needs.
We could revisit all the negotiations, but that is in the past now. Before the election, Senate Majority Leader McConnell said they may have to wait to work on COVID stimulus until next year. Now that the Kentucky Senator has won reelection and the Senate looks to stay in Republican hands, the tone is changing. At a post-election press conference, McConnell hinted at the desire to get a stimulus package done before the end of the year.
$20 billion in help to the Ag and biofuels sectors is waiting in stalled stimulus talks. McConnell says that the bill is needed soon and that he feels a compromise can easily be reached.
There is a lot to consider on this subject though. As we sit at this moment on Friday morning, the future of the Presidency is still very much in doubt, and there are promises of a contentious legal battle to come before we know who will be President for the next four years. This is going to capture a lot of political attention in the next days and weeks. The question is will there be a chance to compromise between a Democratic House, a Republican Senate, and a White House that is going to be focused highly on election results? If there ends up being a lame-duck session, will there be a chance of a negotiation? We are on the verge of entering what could be a very turbulent time, and the needs of the American people are hanging in the balance.
