With the election looming in two weeks, there is a sense of urgency in getting another round of coronavirus relief out to the public. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the White House are in negotiations for a version of the bill. However, the Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on a smaller $500 billion aid package. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley talked with Ag reporters about this bill on Tuesday.
The Senator said that the bill proposed in the Senate is not a ?Republican bill?, or a ?skinny bill.? He said it not being proposed on a ?take it or leave it? premise. Grassley added that everything in the bill has ?bipartisan agreement.? The Senator says he welcomes any amendment proposals from Senate Democrats and any possible conference with the House. He just wants to see funding secured for the American people sooner rather than later. It would be preferable to have it done before the election.
Grassley also put a lot of emphasis on a timetable to get aid done. Even if an agreement came from the House of Representatives and the White House, the clock is ticking on getting it done.
The Senator says that if a bill does not get moved before next Wednesday, he does not think anything will be done, even in a lame-duck session. Grassley said they only would need seven Democrats to agree to take this road and get something moving on the Senate floor and to the House of Representatives.
There were concerns among Senate Republicans last month that proposed bills were coming with too high of a price tag. Senator Grassley says while cost is still a concern, he says there will not be many lawmakers who will say further assistance is not needed. Grassley added that he is more concerned with pet projects in the bill that have nothing to do with coronavirus relief.
