Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., stated Sunday that even though Democrats and Republicans continue to go back and forth over the details involved in a massive coronavirus relief package, a final vote will take place Monday.
McConnell noted that there is still some “elbowing and maneuvering for room” taking place, but at some point on Monday, they will hold a vote on the bill.
CORONAVIRUS RESCUE DEAL TOPPING $1T ‘VERY CLOSE,’ MCCONNELL SAYS
“Make no mistake about it, we’ll be voting tomorrow. I mean the wheel has to stop at some point,” he said.
McConnell met with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, House Minority Leader Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin earlier in the day to go over details of the legislation which will see a preliminary vote Sunday afternoon.
McConnell made clear that the bill enjoys support from members of both parties, including “a lot of rank-and-file Democrats who were involved in drafting it,” despite some of the differences of opinion that have been expressed.
“I don’t want any of you to buy the notion that this isn’t a thoroughly bipartisan proposal already,” he said.
VICE PRESIDENT PENCE, WIFE TEST NEGATIVE FOR COVID-19
The Senate will hold a cloture vote on a “shell” of the bill Sunday at approximately 3 p.m. ET, and hoped that lawmakers would not waste the 30 hours of post-cloture time before a final vote.
McConnell specifically mentioned that one Democrat in the House said that this is “a tremendous opportunity to restructure things to fit our vision.” That quote, according to The Hill, had been attributed to House Majority Whip Rep. Jim Clyburn.
“That’s not what this is about,” McConnell said. “This is not about unrelated policy changes, this is about direct assistance to the American people and to small businesses and to hospitals and others who are in need because we in government at all levels, in order to deal with this pandemic, have basically shut the economy down.”
CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS APP
The legislation is currently expected to cost nearly $2 trillion, with money going toward small businesses, direct deposits to Americans, enhanced unemployment benefits, and what Mnuchin told “Fox News Sunday” is “a significant package working with the federal reserve” that would ultimately result in “up to $4 trillion of liquidity that we can use to support the economy.”
Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.
