McConnell hints that COVID-19 relief package might wait till early 2021

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) hinted on Friday that the long-delayed second coronavirus economic relief package might be delayed until the beginning of the new year.

When asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt about the legislative agenda during the next session of Congress, presuming the GOP maintains control of the Senate after November 3, McConnell drifted to coronavirus relief.

Read the full interview transcript here.

“We probably need to do another package, certainly more modest than the $3 trillion dollar Nancy Pelosi package,” said the Kentuckian, referring to the package that the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed back in May.

“I think that’ll be something we’ll need to do right at the beginning of the year,” he added. “We could target it particularly at small businesses that are struggling, and hospitals that are now dealing with the second wave of the Coronavirus, and of course the challenges for education, both K-12 and college.”

The first economic relief package was passed by both houses and signed by the President back in March. A second package has been stalled since the summer and pressure has been mounting for both parties to agree to some form of a deal so that the tens of millions of unemployed Americans can get their stimulus checks in the mail.

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