On Monday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced a two-part COVID-19 stimulus bill totaling $908 billion, seeking to end months of deadlock in Congress over the package. The group of about 12 senators from both parties introduced the measure including a $748 billion package focused on funding for education, vaccines and transportation, alongside a $160 billion add-on including the most contentious provisions such as state and local funding and a short-term liability shield for employers.
The lawmakers said it would be up to Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to determine what portions of the bill can successfully pass through both chambers of Congress. Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer backed the bipartisan plan earlier this month, but McConnell had called for Congress to ditch both provisions in favor of passing a bill quickly before lawmakers wrap up their legislative session Friday.
