McConnell Urges Senate, House to Finish Funding US Gov't. in 2021 by End of Week

WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2020) Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Tuesday urged negotiators from both chambers of Congress to agree this week on spending levels in each of 12 appropriations bills needed to fund the US government in fiscal 2021, even as lawmakers remain deadlocked over the next COVID-19 relief package.

"What needs to happen now is quite simple," McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor. "Our colleagues on the committees and their counterparts in the House need continue their bicameral discussions on several of top line Dollar amounts for each separate bill.

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McConnell said he was hopeful for an overall agreement "by the end of this very week."

At the same time, McConnell indicated there was little likelihood of the House and Senate agreeing on a COVID-19 relief package to supplement the $2.3 trillion CARES Act approved earlier.

McConnell said the Senate had previously approved hundreds of billions of Dollars in aid to workers and businesses, but was unwilling to accept a House-passed measure to create what he called a slush fund for state governments that is not directly related to the coronavirus pandemic.