Next Covid stimulus already facing Hill fight as both sides draw red lines

Washington CNN — Democrats and Republicans are already drawing red lines over what they hope will be included in the next round of coronavirus relief legislation, signaling there will be hard-fought negotiations to come on Capitol Hill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday that he is open to considering more money to help state and local governments respond to the coronavirus outbreak, but said it would be conditioned on passing liability reforms to protect employers from a rash of lawsuits he believes will be aimed at them after the pandemic clears and businesses reopen. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that by pressing for liability protections for businesses and health care professionals in the next coronavirus bill McConnell is “putting barriers in the way of giving state and local governments desperate money they need.” During a call with reporters, Schumer raised concerns that such a proposal might put workers at a disadvantage. The fact that a slate of aid measures have already passed Congress may make negotiations over any upcoming aid package even more complicated given concerns among rank-and-file members on both sides over concessions made in previous packages and a sense that it is unclear how many future packages there might be to come. Members of the US House of Representatives will not return to Washington next week, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said Tuesday morning, a reversal from the plan Democratic leaders announced fewer than 24 hours earlier.