Members of Congress are considering a new round of economic aid or stimulus payments as the United States breaks records for the number of COVID-19 cases.
Congress now in talks of multi-billion worth of stimulus or relief aid. (Photo: CGTN)
Potential Talks About New Relief Aid
In a recently published article in Business Insider, lawmakers from both parties were discussing the possibility of putting billions of dollars into industries like restaurants, which have been badly impacted by the recession. Democrat Sen. Ben Cardin and Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi are said to be driving the negotiations, and they put together a $68 billion plan in December of last year.
Cardin told the media “We started with restaurants but we’re prepared to expand it if we can have the necessary support. There are other industries that have legitimate concerns.”
Moreover, amounts for the restaurant fund are being examined by parliamentarians, according to him. With $28.6 billion from the American Rescue Plan, the White House launched the Restaurant Revitalization Fund for applicants in May 2021. First two days, they got 186,000 applications.
The Need for Support from Republicans
At least 10 Republican senators must support any measure before it can pass the Senate and reach President Joe Biden’s desk. Democrats may have a difficult time gaining the backing of Senate Republicans who are wary of spending more money on the government.
Meanwhile, a news outlet reports that Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota is open to providing targeted help for eateries or restaurants, stating that it has been the worst damaged industry and is still struggling to get back on its feet. There may be some members of the GOP caucus who would want to see some further COVID relief for restaurants and other businesses, according to GOP Senator Roy Blunt.
As Democrats continue their irresponsible spending binge, the Missouri Republican believes there is an opportunity to investigate additional payments to companies after Congress’s impending discussions on election reform. He intends to take advantage of some serious appropriations work.
