After passing $3 trillion of coronavirus relief in a rare run of bipartisanship, Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Congress girded for a new battle over federal assistance to states and local governments grappling with the coronavirus outbreak.
Spurred on by governors and local officials, Democrats have put out the word that they want to provide a sizable rescue package as part of a broader bill - one that could total at least $2 trillion in coming weeks.
The tit-for-tat continued, when Republican President Donald Trump, who is seeking re-election in November, noted during his daily coronavirus briefing on Thursday: “It is interesting that the states that are in trouble ... happen to be Democrat.” Republican Governor Larry Hogan of Maryland, who chairs the National Governors Association, joined with Vice Chairman Andrew Cuomo, the Democratic governor of New York, in calling for “robust support from the federal government,” in a Tuesday letter to congressional leaders. Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio echoed that call.
But all week, many Republicans attacked Democrats for insisting on the state aid, saying it delayed passage of help for small businesses. On Thursday, Congress completed work on a $484 billion emergency bill allowing more federally backed loans to small businesses. The second aide said that even before Trump could sign it into law, estimates swirled around Washington that this money could be gobbled up within a week.
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