Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) released a joint statement Saturday indicating they will not negotiate with Democrats after their proposal to add $250 billion to the Paycheck Protection Program failed Thursday.
What they're saying: "Republicans did not ask to change any policy details that were negotiated by both parties and passed unanimously. All we want to do is put more money into a popular job-saving policy which both parties designed together."
- "Senate Democrats blocked this funding because Republicans would not open a sweeping renegotiation of the bipartisan CARES Act. Their unrelated demands include hundreds of billions of extra dollars for parts of the legislation which are still coming online and have not yet spent a single dollar."
- "Republicans reject Democrats' reckless threat to continue blocking job-saving funding unless we renegotiate unrelated programs which are not in similar peril."
Between the lines: "Their statement appeared to deepen a stalemate over Congress’ next steps to address the nation’s economic misery," The Washington Post writes.
Context: Democrats did not approve the proposal on Thursday because they want to add billions more to support hospitals, cities, states, SNAP benefits and more. They also want to ensure half of the proposed $250 billion goes through community banks, emergency grants and other programs that aim to help underserved communities, per the Post.
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