High-level Senate says smaller stimulus may be needed to make it through the winter

• Senator Debbie Stabenow, the fourth Democrat in the upper house, said a smaller aid package to support the economy during the winter months may be needed.
• “And it’s less a question of the overall figure because even though there is a short-term package for the next few months, until we enter the new Biden administration, we have to act now,” the said. Senator Debbie Stabenow at CNBC.
• Congress has been deadlocked on coronavirus relief for months.
• But some Democrats believe a compromise may be necessary to get federal help quickly, even if a relief program comes at a lower price than they have long sought.
• Visit the Business Insider homepage for more stories.

Senator Debbie Stabenow, the fourth Democrat in the upper house, called for immediate action on an economic aid package during the lame session of Congress, even though it is a more modest measure to support the people and businesses during the winter.

The Michigan Democrat said there had been discussions on a “bipartisan basis” and expressed concern that millions of Americans stand at risk of losing their unemployment benefits next month.

“For me, it’s about making sure there are no winners and losers – that everything we do is complete,” Stabenow said Tuesday in an interview with CNBC. “And that’s less about the overall figure, because while there is a short-term package for the next few months, until we get into the new Biden administration, we have to act now.”

Stabenow’s comments reflect growing calls by some Democrats to compromise on a coronavirus relief plan before Congress adjourns next month. Lawmakers are negotiating a dozen must-have spending bills to fund most government agencies and avoid a shutdown. They must be approved before December 11.

But an aid package to prop up the economy has proved elusive, and it threatens to derail the fragile recovery, experts say. A rapid increase in cases of the virus has resulted in more restrictions and business closures in many parts of the country. Unemployment claims rose last week for the first time since October, and hiring has slowed.

“I just hope we can come to an agreement. It might not be all that everyone wants, but at least if we can bring significant relief to people,” the majority leader said. Parliamentarian Steny Hoyer at CQ Roll Call last week.

Congress has just eight days on its legislative calendar to strike and pass a deal.

Since the election, President-elect Joe Biden has jumped into talks about a fifth stimulus package. He urged lawmakers to approve a multibillion-dollar plan that Democrats lobbied for. It includes $ 600 in federal unemployment benefits, $ 1,200 in direct payments and aid to cash-strapped states, among other measures.

But Republicans strongly oppose its price and many of its provisions. Instead, they’re looking for a “slimmer” plan that prioritizes helping small businesses, as well as funding education and public health.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Biden on Friday reiterated their calls for Congress to adopt another back-up plan before the lame session ends.