Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) speaks during a press conference following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon in the Hart Senate Office Building on June 30, 2020, in Washington, DC. | Stefani Reynolds/Getty Images
Republicans’ new Heals Act would cut unemployment bonuses and protect businesses from coronavirus-related legal liability.
Senate Republicans have finally unveiled their opening bid in negotiations for the next coronavirus stimulus package, setting up a serious clash with Democrats in the coming days over funding for unemployment insurance and state governments.
The GOP bill arrives as Congress faces a pressing deadline: Enhanced unemployment insurance (UI) is set to expire this week, with millions receiving their final federal unemployment payments allotted by the Cares Act this past weekend. A federal eviction moratorium has also elapsed, and state and local governments increasingly feeling the strain of both dwindling tax revenues