A small group of Democratic and Republican parliamentarians on Tuesday proposed a $ 908 billion economic stimulus plan to support the US economy affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, as negotiations resumed between Congress and the White House .
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For the time being, the aid package does not have the approval of the White House, but the resumption of negotiations is a sign that elected representatives from both parties want to move forward on this issue blocked since the summer.
The announcement of this resumption of dialogue comes as Joe Biden's economic team was officially presented on Tuesday, with the president-elect urging Congress to vote on a
“robust”
aid plan without delay
.
In addition to the $ 908 billion plan, Democratic leaders in Congress presented their own proposal to Republican leaders on Monday evening, without revealing the amount.
In parallel, the leader of the Republican majority in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, revealed on Tuesday that he had asked the White House what measures outgoing President Donald Trump would be ready to enact before his departure on January 20.
On this basis, he circulated a third proposal to his parliamentary group to gauge their reaction, without disclosing its content either.
In this context, the Democratic President of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and the Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin, Donald Trump's emissary to negotiate with Congress, spoke by telephone.
According to Nancy Pelosi, the latter has promised to look into the proposal of the Democratic leaders as well as that, to 908 billion dollars, of the small group of parliamentarians.
"Only two weeks left"
"An additional plan of support against the Covid should have been voted a long time ago and must be adopted"
before the start of the next Congress, on January 3, wrote Nancy Pelosi in a press release.
“We don't have time to waste time.
We only have two weeks left, ”
added Mitch McConnell.
However, their positions still appear to be very distant.
The Republicans were indeed so far prepared to grant 500 billion dollars against 2,000 billion for the Democrats.
With 908 billion, the small group of Democratic and Republican parliamentarians insisted on presenting their proposal as a solution of consensus and
"common sense"
, which should increase
"the pressure"
on the heads of Congress and the White House.
They admitted, however, that none had promised to support it.
"It would be inexcusable that we leave the city without agreement"
for the Christmas holidays, launched the democratic senator Joe Manchin, during a press conference to present their plan, which extends until April 1.
Republican Senator Mitt Romney said he briefed Steven Mnuchin on the ongoing negotiations.
If he did not indicate whether he
"agreed or not"
,
"he gave us advice on the amounts"
, he explained.
In detail, the proposal provides in particular 288 billion for small businesses and restaurants, 160 billion to help states and local authorities, 180 billion for additional unemployment benefits, and 45 billion for the transport sector.
