In a move intended to jump-start virus relief negotiations, a bipartisan group of lawmakers today unveiled a relief package framework that proposes just over $900 billion in emergency appropriations and repurposed funding.

Although it remains an uphill battle to pass a relief package before the end of the year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin plan to meet today to discuss year-end appropriations legislation and virus relief. President-elect Joe Biden also today urged passage of "a robust package of relief." In another sign of progress, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Speaker Pelosi are reportedly circulating separate proposals on virus relief among their respective caucuses.

The bipartisan proposal unveiled today would repurpose $568 billion in funding previously allocated but unspent under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) explained at a press conference today. He said the proposal would actually cost $348 billion and includes a short-term liability shield to give states time to develop their own response. 

According to a summary of the proposal, its major spending provisions include the following:

• State, local, and tribal governments, $160 billion
• Additional unemployment insurance (UI), $180 billion
• Support for small businesses including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), restaurants, stages, and deductibility, $288 billion
• CDFI/MDI community lender support, $12 billion
• Transportation (airlines, airports, buses, transit, and Amtrak), $45 billion
• Vaccine development and distribution testing and tracing, $16 billion
• Healthcare provider relief fund, $35 billion
• Education, $82 billion
• Student loans, $4 billion
• Housing assistance (rental), $25 billion
• Nutrition/agriculture, $26 billion
• U.S. Postal Service, $10 billion
• Child care, $10 billion
• Broadband, $10 billion
• Opioid treatment, $5 billion

At today's press event, Sen. Romney was joined by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Angus King (I-ME). Reps. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Tom Reed (R-NY) were also on hand to endorse the proposal.

More information on the proposal is posted here. 

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