The failure to pass a second stimulus bill proves we have the worst congressional leaders

[Andy Meek]

• Congressional talks over a second stimulus bill have reached a stalemate, with leaders from both major parties stuck over one major aspect of the legislation -- an extension of increased unemployment aid.
• There's broad agreement over the other major piece of a coronavirus stimulus package, that being a new round of $1,200 stimulus payments sent out to most Americans.
• However, the increased $600/week in unemployment aid has now expired, and Republican leaders don't want to re-up the funding at that same level.

If you'd have asked me early on what I thought would be the biggest sticking point between the two parties as Congress tries to pass a second stimulus bill, something the country desperately needs as we enter what health experts say is a new chapter of the coronavirus pandemic, I might have guessed it would be the prospect of new stimulus checks. But no, as things stand now on this first Monday of August -- some six months after the coronavirus outbreak began in the US -- both parties are more or less on board with the idea of sending out a new wave of $1,200 stimulus checks to most Americans. That's a major component of the new stimulus bill that's been introduced in Congress, so what gives? Why has Congress been stuck for more than a week now trying to make progress on a new bill, with little progress to show for it thus far?

The answer: Unemployment aid.

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The failure to pass a second stimulus bill proves we have the worst congressional leaders originally appeared on BGR.com on Mon, 3 Aug 2020 at 12:37:31 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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