Republicans rebel against Republican Party initial stimulus plan

Republicans lobbied administration officials Tuesday during their private lunch on why the money was included in the bill, which members argued was not even related to the coronavirus.

“I just don’t get it. How is it related to the coronavirus? I never understood why we were giving money to the Kennedy Center or National Endowment for the Arts. During a pandemic, let’s focus on solving the problem,” said Senator Rick Scott, said a Florida Republican.

“I also don’t know why it’s there,” said South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.

“Let me speak for myself, I am opposed to the irrelevant amendments, whether it is funds for the FBI building or, for example, whether the House bill is about a tax cut for high-income workers in the blue states or other amendments not relevant in the Bill like marijuana studies or help for illegal immigrants, “he said.

When asked about Republican Senate rejection of the proposal, McConnell acknowledged the divisions within his conference, and told reporters at a post-lunch press conference on Tuesday, “Look, I think it’s obvious that I have members. that are in line with this. “

The reaction has been building for months. In most of May and June, discussions between Republicans about how to tackle another stimulus bill went on behind closed doors. Republican senators debated among themselves whether to give states and localities more flexibility in how they used stimulus dollars and whether to reduce the improved unemployment benefits that were included in the CARES Act in the spring. But now with a paper proposal, members are not holding back.

“I don’t want to see any new money authorization,” said Senator Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin.

Republican Senator Mike Braun of Indiana told reporters he did not think he could support the bill in its current form.

“In my opinion, we need to go back to the Trump economy, not to the federal government that is trying to replace it,” said Braun.

Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania said he is “studying” the proposal, but is having trouble with a “number” of provisions.

“I will wait and see what the final product looks like, but I am quite skeptical about the way it appears to be shaping,” Toomey said.

And it’s not just budget hawks who express their frustrations. With half a dozen Republicans for reelection in tough races from Maine to Iowa, Republicans on the ballot argue that changes should be made to the Republican Party’s initial offer if they are to endorse it.

“We have a lot of negotiations to do,” Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina who is running for reelection, told reporters. “There are several things that we are negotiating.”

The disagreements complicate the negotiating position for Republican leaders and the White House, as Democrats see the schism as an opportunity to extract more concessions from the Republican Party in the upcoming negotiations.

“It is not exactly our strongest hand,” said one Republican senator.

The Republican plan, which was introduced by a series of Republican Presidents and members of the Senate leadership on Monday night, includes new money for schools, liability protections for hospitals, restaurants and businesses, and another round of direct stimulus payments. to individuals and families. But disagreements about how to structure additional unemployment benefits and the inclusion of money for a new FBI building at the behest of the Trump administration has further eroded support from the Republican Party.

“It’s a starting point,” Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, said of the bill.

Several Republicans also expressed frustration that there was no new money for state and local governments included in the initial bill. That has been a priority for Democrats and Republican Senators from states who have seen their budgets shrink as a result of closed deals and declining sales tax revenue.

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said he wanted more money for state and local governments, even when he recognized that the Republican bill is the beginning of negotiations, not the end.

“Obviously, I have advocated for more state and local and I think at the end of the day we will,” said Cassidy.

Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, questioned whether there was enough education funding in the bill. The Republican Party proposal included $ 105 billion for schools with $ 70 billion allocated to go directly to K-12 education.

“Is there some money enough right now?” she asked.

For now, it is unclear how McConnell will close the gap. To pass anything and get the legislation into law, McConnell will need Democratic votes. To get them, you’ll have to make changes that will lose it to conservatives who already resist the $ 1 trillion price.

Meanwhile, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have already begun their preliminary talks with Democratic Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and minority leader of the Senate. Chuck Schumer. Those conversations occur when Republican senators are uneasy about how Meadows and Mnuchin have negotiated with Democrats in the past.

“I think it’s a lot better if it’s members dealing with members, but this seems to be the pattern we are in,” said one Republican senator with the background condition to freely discuss the contours of the negotiations. “I would rather they were Republican senators dealing with Democrats.”