$1.2 billion less than the Heroes Act that came dead to the Senate. Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled a pared-down version of a new economic stimulus package for the coronavirus pandemic on Monday.
The new legislation is for $2.2 billion – $1.2 billion less than the Heroes Act that came dead to the Senate – and has segments requested by the Donald Trump administration and Republicans in Congress.
The new package, known as Heroes Act 2.0, includes $436 billion in aid to state and local governments. It will provide $225 billion for schools and child care, send a new round of $1.2 billion in stimulus checks, and restore the additional $600 in unemployment benefits.
The package focuses on funding mass coronavirus testing, infection tracking equipment, and other points in the health care system. Another part of the money will go to the Postal Service and the Census.
Heroes 2.0 includes $25 billion for airlines, something Trump and the Republicans have pushed for. Restaurants will be allocated $120 billion.
It is unclear at this point when the legislative package will be voted on. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was in talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin Monday afternoon. Negotiations would resume on Tuesday.
Democratic congressmen seeking re-election have pushed for a vote on a new economic stimulus.
Could a new stimulus check be approved this week?
Some signs show that there could be progress in getting a stimulus check passed before lawmakers go to recess in October.
A new stimulus check could be approved by lawmakers before they go into recess in October.
“I think we have an opportunity to do something,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday, referring to the passage of a new stimulus check, as reported on the NJ website.
House Democrats and the White House have not been able to agree on how much money they should put into a new stimulus package, so citizens still don’t know if they will get a second stimulus check, more unemployment benefits or if there will be more money for small businesses.
Pelosi also said Sunday that she and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have resumed talks to approve a new stimulus check
Democrats previously said they would be willing to cut $1 billion from the HEROES Act, an aid package that passed in May.
For her part, Pelosi said she would prefer to reach agreement on the proposals already submitted, rather than propose a new bill.