Stimulus Update: White House Introduces $916 Billion Plan That Includes Stimulus Checks

The Donald Trump administration has reentered Congressional negotiations after months of fruitless coronavirus stimulus negotiations, proposing a $916 billion package to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that would send a $600 stimulus check to qualified Americans but eliminate a $300 per week unemployment benefit advocated for by a bipartisan group of Senate negotiators, reports the Associated Press Wednesday.

The offer was extended Tuesday and has been endorsed by top House Republicans and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, but Democrats have criticized the plan over the Trump White House's refusal to back the partial restoration bonus pandemic jobless benefits that expired in August.

Wednesday, the House will pass a one-week government funding bill giving more time to sort through negotiations, preventing the government from the shutdown that would have been started this weekend without the measure. Despite months and months of futile negotiations, McConnell said Congress would not adjourn without agreeing upon the COVID-19 relief package to aid hundreds of thousands of Americans suffering amid the pandemic.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement that he introduced the new offer to Pelosi Tuesday afternoon, but kept the majority of details quiet. House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy, however, said the deal proposes a $600 direct payment for individuals and $1,200 for couples, half the total amount provided by the first relief package back in March.

Pelosi, as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, said in a joint statement Tuesday night that while it was progress that McConnell endorsed the cost of the package, they made clear that the reduction in unemployment benefits from what's is being discussed in bipartisan negotiations is something they could not support. "The president's proposal starts by cutting the unemployment insurance proposal being discussed by bipartisan Members of the House and Senate from $180 billion to $40 billion. That is unacceptable," they said in their statement.

In a bipartisan effort led by Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Sens. Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska is rallying support behind a $908 billion deal that includes a $300 per week jobless benefit and $160 billion for states and local governments, which would be a more generous offering than the GOP plan but far smaller than the Democrats have put forth. Also included would be a four-month extension of jobless benefits set to expire at the end of the month, $300 billion for paycheck protection subsidies for struggling businesses, funding for vaccines and testing and a number of smaller items.