First Chamber GOP to include funds for postal services in smaller coronavirus relief accounts

First Republicans are preparing to unveil a smaller coronavirus relief package as soon as Tuesday that is expected to include billions in new funds for the Postal Service.

In addition to $ 10 billion in post office funding, the Republican proposal is expected to include liability protection, a $ 300-a-week federal unemployment benefit, another round of Paycheck Protection Program funding, and additional funding for coronavirus testing and schools, according to aides.

The bill is a distributed version of the roughly $ 1 trillion package offered by First Chamber Republicans late last month, known as the HEALS Act, and comes as Second Chamber Democrats are drafting their own stand-alone Postal Service bill.

Leader of the First Chamber Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellPelosi calls on House to return this week over post service crisis Schumer: McConnell must return to House early as House goes through Post Service bill Trump hits bill for suffragist monument in DC MAY (R-Ky.) Indicated when they spoke in Kentucky earlier Monday that Republicans and the administration were willing to direct roughly $ 10 billion in additional funding to the post office as part of coronavirus relief.

“The postal service will be just fine. We will make sure that the ability to function in the election is not adversely affected,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky.

McConnell added that the $ 10 billion supported by the administration would be used “only to ensure the post office is on a solid footing in the November elections.”

Where the GOP proposal – the details of which were first reported by Politico – goes from here is unclear. But GOP senators have quietly discussed coronavirus relief to a stop-gap government funding bill they must pass by Sept. 30 to prevent a closure roughly a month before the November election.

Negotiations on a fifth, larger coronavirus bill have stalled earlier this month during talks between congressional Democrats, Treasury Secretary Steven MnuchinSteven Terner MnuchinChris Wallace scolds both parties for coronavirus package misconduct: ‘Pox on both their homes’ The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Trump goes further again; no deal on COVID-19 package Overnight health care: First Chamber leaves until September without coronavirus relief deal | American records deadliest day of summer | Georgia’s governor is suing over Atlanta MORE’s mask mandate and Chief of Staff of the White House Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsMail — a ballot box controversy is sparked as Democrats call for Postmaster General to testify. Meadows says Harris is set to become vice president by pushing back on birther claims Sunday shows – Mail-in-vote controversy dominates MORE unraveled.

The Second Chamber is set to return on Saturday to vote on its bill in connection with the Postal Service. Although House Majority Leader Steny HoyerSteny Hamilton HoyerPelosi dares to return House from August recession early on USPS issues: reports Progressives see flexing muscle in next congress after primary wins Legislators of color wear Democratic leadership to protect subordinate communities in talks with coronavirus MAY (D-Md.) Announced earlier Monday that the details of the Democratic bill were still being finalized, it is expected to include $ 25 billion in new funding, similar to what was included in a more than $ 3 trillion bill passed by the House in May .

Democrats, including the Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerHouse Oversight Committee calls for ‘urgent’ hearing with Postmaster-General Pelosi, who plans to return home from August recession early on USPS issues: reports In the next relief package, Congress needs FEMORE universal COVID tests (DN.Y.), calls on McConnell to bring the House back to session early. The First Chamber is not currently scheduled to return to Washington, DC, until Sept. 8.

McConnell made no statement when he spoke in Kentucky Monday that he intended to bring lawmakers back earlier. Instead, he defended the decision to leave the House without leaving a coronavirus deal, noting that the House was already gone and that most senators were not directly involved in the negotiations.

And Meadows, speaking to reporters Monday, came up with the idea of ​​shooting a stand-alone Post Service bill, calling it “unrealistic” and “unnecessary.” Any bill passed by the House for the most part probably will not pass in the GOP-controlled Senate.

The president is “ready to provide money for the Post Office, as long as it is included in some other meager measure if we can not agree to a bigger deal,” he added.