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US Lawmakers Running Out of Time to Pass Coronavirus Aid

Katherine Gypson

   WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says time is
   running out for U.S. lawmakers to reach an agreement on a second
   massive round of aid addressing the economic impact of the coronavirus
   pandemic.

   With just a handful of days left in session this year, members of
   Congress are racing to reach an agreement after months of fruitless
   negotiations.

   McConnell told reporters Tuesday he had been in discussion with
   Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark
   Meadows earlier in the day to determine what legislation U.S. President
   Donald Trump would be willing to sign.

   "The way you get a result, you have to have a presidential signature.
   So, I felt the first thing we needed to do was to find out what the
   president would in fact sign. We believe we've got the answer to that,"
   McConnell said. He added that given the dwindling days in session, any
   agreement on coronavirus relief would more than likely be tied to the
   omnibus bill funding the U.S. government past a December 11 deadline.

   The Senate majority leader has for months maintained that the $3.3
   trillion HEROES Act, passed by the Democratic-majority U.S. House of
   Representatives in June, and subsequent proposals were an expensive
   over-reaction to the need caused by the pandemic.

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