Grassley: $900B Stimulus Package Would Be More 'Fiscally Responsible'

Des Moines IA

17 December, 2020

11:52 AM

Description

the Iowa Capital Dispatch By Perry Beeman December 16, 2020 Congressional negotiators could firm up details on a $900 billion stimulus package related to the coronavirus pandemic as early as Wednesday afternoon, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley told reporters. The latest discussions include many elements with bipartisan agreement, the senior senator from Iowa said. He added that there have been reports of another round of direct payments to Americans, of perhaps $600. "They are talking about a $900 billion thing, which is a heck of a lot more fiscally responsible than the $3.5 trillion (House Speaker Nancy) Pelosi was trying to get done," said Grassley, a Republican. Pelosi is a Democrat from California. Grassley said he expected more details to leak out after a steering committee meeting among Republicans scheduled for 1 p.m. Central time. "I don't think think anything has been announced, but it has been pretty positively talked about that we would have a COVID-type (stimulus package) in the neighborhood of $900 billion," Grassley said. CNN reported that the latest proposal did not include aid for state and local governments supported by Democrats. But it also doesn't contain more money for the Payment Protection Program, for more testing, for unemployment insurance, and for K-12 education. The Washington Post reported the package is likely to be attached to legislation funding federal agencies and perhaps addressing surprise medical billing in an effort to gain quick approval as the nation continues to see economic stress related to the pandemic. The Iowa Capital Dispatch is a hard-hitting, independent news organization dedicated to connecting Iowans to their state government and its impact on their lives.