从周五开始的为期10天的阵亡将士纪念日休会期间，参议员们有足够的时间来考虑他们想在另一个刺激计划中包括什么，该计划共和党人说可能会在六月底到来。
尽管没有关于潜在范围的细节，但随着国家更加全面重新开放，经济损失得到评估，立法者继续就他们认为应该成为立法一部分的内容提出意见。
与之前的冠状病毒刺激法案不同，在这些法案中，议员们普遍认为他们是急需的，这次很可能会有一场更加激烈的政治斗争，伴随着冗长的谈判。在众议院的民主党人已经通过了一项3万亿美元的法案的情况下，共和党人对拨付更多资金犹豫不决，这为华盛顿的领导人开启了一条冲突之路，可能会加剧摆在立法者面前的挑战。
5月13日，在DC首都华盛顿，代表全国各地公司的长途汽车驶过美国国会大厦，他们绕着国家广场跑来跑去，抗议这场新型冠状病毒大流行给他们的生意带来的经济影响。
对两党成员来说，最重要的是国家援助。两党和两院制团体支持一项为面临严重预算短缺的州和地方政府拨款5000亿美元的计划。参议员约翰·肯尼迪。)提出了一个计划，简单地放宽已经分配的1500亿美元州和地方援助的指导方针，允许市政当局在最需要的地方使用，而不需要联邦政府分配更多的资金。
失业救济金也在潜在项目的清单上，因为联邦政府每周600美元的州救济金将于7月底到期。上周，美国失业人数又增加了240万，自流感大流行压制美国经济以来，失业总人数达到了3860万。
但是，当民主党人希望扩大增加的福利时，共和党人希望削减福利，参议院多数党领袖米奇·麦康奈尔(共和党人)。)希望它们完全消失。共和党议员不满意的是，许多领取福利的人可以比他们以前的工作挣得更多。
“政府工资不应超过市场工资。参议员兰德·保罗说:“一开始就把它定得这么高是一个错误，扩大它也是一个错误。)。“基本上，你倾向于将失业制度化。如果你延长期限，这将意味着年收入低于52，000美元的人将不会重返工作岗位。”
众议院民主党通过了一项巨大的3万亿美元的一揽子计划上周，超过了国会3月份批准的2.2万亿美元的历史性刺激计划。但是，随着共和党控制的参议院和唐纳德·特朗普总统入主白宫，这项提议就泡汤了。它包括诸如失业扩大、第二轮1200美元支票、州和地方援助、基本工人的危险津贴以及租金、抵押贷款和公用事业救济等项目。
除了参议员乔什·霍利(共和党)之外，主要民主党人已经提出了工资保障计划。)——联邦政府支付公司员工的工资和福利。支持者认为这将刺激就业增长。
“我的目标是让人们离开失业补偿的土地，回到他们得到福利和健康保险的工作岗位上，”参议员道格·琼斯说。)。
特朗普和议员们提到基础设施融资是另一个潜在的选择。
可能面临最大阻力的提议是对公司进行更多的个人检查和责任保护。在很大程度上，共和党人在成本和效率上反对前者，而民主党人则反对后者，因为他们担心后者会侵蚀工人获得安全工作环境的权利。
As Stimulus Support Grows, Lawmakers Eye Proposals like Unemployment Expansion and State Aid
Embarking on a 10-day Memorial Day recess that begins Friday, senators have ample time to ponder what they would like to include in another stimulus package, which Republicans say is likely coming at the end of June.
Though no details of the potential scope, lawmakers continue to pitch ideas about what they feel should be part of the legislation that would come in the summer months as the country is more fully reopened and the economic damage assessed.
Unlike previous coronavirus stimulus bills where lawmakers across the board felt they were direly needed, this one will likely feature a more strenuous political battle with tedious negotiations. The hesitance from Republicans to appropriate more funds while Democrats in the House have already passed a $3 trillion measure has teed up a collision course for Washington's leaders that could exacerbate the challenges that lay ahead with anything lawmakers will try to accomplish.
Motorcoaches representing companies from across the country drive past the U.S. Capitol building as they do laps around the National Mall to protest the economic impact the novel coronavirus pandemic is having on their business May 13 in Washington, DC.
Top of mind for members on both sides of the aisle is state aid. Bipartisan and bicameral groups are behind an initiative for $500 billion for state and local governments facing steep budget shortfalls. Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) has pitched a plan to simply relax the guidelines on $150 billion in state and local aid already allocated, allowing municipalities to use where it's needed most without the federal government doling out more funds.
Unemployment benefits are also on the list of potential items as the $600 per week federal boost to state benefits will expire at the end of July. The number of jobless Americans rose by another 2.4 million last week, bringing the total to a whopping 38.6 million since the pandemic clamped down on the U.S. economy.
But while Democrats want to extend the increased benefits, Republicans want them slashed and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) wants them gone entirely. GOP lawmakers are dissatisfied that many receiving the benefits can make more than at their prior jobs.
"A government wage should never exceed a market wage. It was a mistake to make it so high to begin with, and it would be a mistake to extend it," said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). "Basically, you're favoring institutionalizing unemployment. If you extended it, it would mean that anybody who earns less than $52,000 a year, approximately, would not go back to work."
House Democrats passed an enormous $3 trillion package last week, topping the historic $2.2 trillion stimulus Congress approved in March. But with the GOP-controlled Senate and President Donald Trump in the White House, the proposal is dead in the water. It included items such as unemployment expansions, a second round of $1,200 checks, state and local aid, hazard pay for essential workers and rent, mortgage and utility relief.
Mainly Democrats have offered up paycheck guarantee plans—with the exception of Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.)—where the federal government would pay the salaries and benefits of companies' employees. Proponents argue it would spur job growth.
"My goal is to get people out of that unemployment compensation land and back on their jobs where they're getting benefits and health insurance," said Sen. Doug Jones (D-Ala.).
Trump and lawmakers have mentioned infrastructure funding as another potential inclusion.
Proposals that could face some of the greatest pushback are more individual checks and liability protections for companies. For the most part, Republicans oppose the former over costs and effectiveness while Democrats are against the latter due to concerns it could erode workers' rights for a safe working environment.
