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Updated Dec 1, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Bipartisan group of lawmakers unveils $908 billion COVID stimulus proposal

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Susan Collins and Joe Manchin

Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) in the Capitol in 2018. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday proposed a $908 billion coronavirus stimulus package, in one of the few concrete steps toward COVID relief made by Congress in several months.

Why it matters: Recent data shows that the economic recovery is floundering as coronavirus cases surge and hospitals threaten to be overwhelmed heading into what is likely to be a grim winter.

Timing: The framework drops hours before Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plan to discuss coronavirus relief — their first talks since October.

The big picture: Most lawmakers still see only a small chance for passage of a comprehensive relief package before the end of the year, given how far apart Republicans and Democrats remain on key priorities.

  • President-elect Joe Biden has said that he wants Congress to pass coronavirus relief before he takes office in January.
  • Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday McConnell said he has been talking to House minority leader Kevin McCarthy, Mnuchin and chief of staff Mark Meadows about a COVID relief bill that could gain Trump's support.

Breakdown of the proposed funding:

  • State and local: $160 billion
  • Additional unemployment insurance: $180 billion
  • Small business Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), EIDL and restaurants: $288 billion
  • Transportation: $45 billion
  • Vaccine development, distribution and testing: $16 billion
  • Healthcare provider relief fund: $35 billion
  • Education: $82 billion
  • Student loans: $4 billion
  • Housing assistance: $25 billion
  • Nutrition/Agriculture: $26 billion
  • U.S. Postal Service: $10 billion
  • Child care: $10 billion
  • Broadband: $10 billion
  • Opioid treatment: $5 billion

The plan also provides short-term federal protection from coronavirus-related lawsuits.

Read the framework via DocumentCloud.

This post has been updated with comments from Mitch McConnell.

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