McConnell fights unemployment benefits

Leader of the Senate majority Mitch McConnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Pelosi snuggles up to presidents on surprise billing, but elusive McConnell deal opens door to smaller coronavirus relief deal Republican Party seeks ‘Plan B’ as coronavirus talks hit the MORE wall (R-Ky.) He’s turning the Senate into a fight for federal unemployment benefits, due Friday.

The decision to force a vote comes when negotiators remain separate on a larger coronavirus relief deal. In a sign of stagnation, Republicans and Senate minority leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerLincoln Project Targets Senate Races In Alaska, Maine, Montana With M ad Buying Pelosi, Schumer Says Republican Senate Coronavirus Bill Is ‘Selling To Working Families’ 12:30 Report From The Hill – Presented by Facebook – Barr Showdown with House Democrats MORE (DN.Y.) blocked the dueling coronavirus proposals early Thursday.

“We have had enough rope with drugs. We’ve had enough empty talk already. It’s time to go to the registry, ”McConnell said from the Senate floor.

Senate Republicans successfully introduced a bill they will use as a vehicle for their competitive unemployment proposals, none of which appear to have the votes necessary to pass next week.

McConnell did not say in the room which proposal he will try to force a vote on first, and did not respond to follow-up questions when he returned to his office.

But several Republican senators say they expect him to present Sens’s proposal. Ron JohnsonRonald (Ron) Harold Johnson The timeline for the Republican Party’s Obama investigation report slips when the president looks at the subpoenas The House Committee of Representatives votes to give all members access to evidence of foreign disinformation The Democrat-aligned group targets Republican Party president at center of Obama-era investigation MORE (R-Wis.) And Mike BraunMichael BraunGOP Seeks ‘Plan B’ As Coronavirus Talks Hit The Wall Republican Senators Rebel Over Coronavirus Proposal Healthcare Price Transparency Act May Reduce Costs And Drive National Economic Recovery MORE (R-Ind.) That would replace the expiring $ 600 per week federal benefit with a scalable match, which when combined with state unemployment, would equal two-thirds of a person’s previous salary with a limit of $ 500 in the federal benefit. The federal benefit of $ 600 per week was included in the March bill and will expire on Friday.

Senator John ThuneJohn Randolph ThuneGOP Seeks ‘Plan B’ As Coronavirus Talks Hit Wall No. 2, Republican Senator: Not Much Support For FBI Building Funds In COVID Bill Trump Says Republicans Criticize The FBI money should ‘go back to school and learn’ MORE (RS.D.), McConnell’s No. 2, said the Johnson-Braun proposal will be the Senate’s starting point and will need 60 votes, meaning at least seven Democrats.

“He’ll need 60, probably everything from now on will need 60, so we’ll see where that goes,” Thune said.

Senator Kevin CramerKevin John Cramer Republican Senators Rise Over Hillicon Valley Coronavirus Proposal: Tech CEOs Prepare To Grill At Home | Republican Senate Party Faces Backlash Over Election Funds | Twitter Limits Trump Jr. Account Republicans Raise Concerns That TikTok Could Be Used By Chinese Government To Interfere In Election MORE (RN.D.) added that the “first attempt, and perhaps the last, would be basically the Johnson bill.”

Under the Johnson-Braun proposal, if state offices were unable to implement wage equalization, they could grant a fixed federal benefit of $ 200 per week.

In addition to the Johnson-Braun proposal, Sens. Mitt romneyWillard (Mitt) Mitt RomneyGOP pursues ‘Plan B’ as coronavirus talks hit wall Defense overnight: United States to withdraw 11,900 troops from Germany | Troops Shuffle Cost ‘Several Billions’ of Dollars | Lawmakers plan to cut bread | Trump says he has not discussed the alleged rewards with Putin’s lawmakers. (R-Utah), Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsLincoln Project heads to Senate races in Alaska, Maine, Montana with M ad buy Collins follows Democratic challenger by 5 points: survey Rising gold casts doubt on dollar reserve status: Goldman Sachs MORE (R-Maine) and Martha McSallyMartha Elizabeth McSallyTrump may have power, but still has no plans to fight the pandemic 100 days, parties fear chaotic elections 100 days: Democrats see clear path to Senate majority MORE (R-Ariz.) They have introduced their own bill, which they hope to get a vote as part of the Senate debate next week, which would allow states to implement an 80 percent wage replacement or a fixed amount of $ 500 per week of August. After that, it would drop to $ 400 a week in September or $ 300 in October.

“Senator McConnell made it very clear that he would be open to amendments,” Collins said.

But it is not clear that any proposal can pass the Senate.

Democrats blocked the Johnson-Braun proposal Thursday morning, when they called the wage equalization unfeasible and warned that it would push more people into poverty and lift billions out of the economy.

Schumer criticized McConnell’s plan on Thursday.

“My fellow citizens, we are in a huge crisis. We are moving toward the plate on this side of the hall. Please inform your senators on the Republican side of the aisle how deep this crisis is, how painful it is for people and step forward, ”said Schumer.

“Come into the room and negotiate a real deal and stop doing stunts that are simply political, that you can’t pass,” added Schumer.

But it would allow McConnell to force them to go to the registry by blocking unemployment benefits, or pressure them to make a broader deal.

When asked about his decision to jump-start the unemployment insurance debate, McConnell told reporters that “we can continue to speak and hopefully make progress because there is no progress anywhere else.”

Thune added that Republican senators wanted to vote, noting that they were increasingly frustrated by slow progress in bipartisan talks.

“We need things to move and this makes things move. Our guys want to vote, they want to be able to show that they are moving the ball across the field and the Democrats want to keep blocking. This exposes him. And I hope it is. He will take the idea of ​​sitting down and work on a solution seriously, “Thune said.