The deadlock in the new round of U.S. epidemic relief plan is difficult to solve
Hu Zexi, our reporter in the United States
According to a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, U.S. Treasury Secretary Mnuchin stated that the current negotiations between the two parties on a new round of epidemic relief plan have not broken the deadlock. Since late July, some social relief measures previously introduced by the US government in response to the epidemic have gradually expired, and the two parties have conducted intensive negotiations on the implementation of a new round of relief plans. However, the two sides have been having difficulty in bridging their differences, and both blamed the other side for the difficulty in making progress in the negotiations.
It is reported that the Republican Party agreed to provide about US$1 trillion in bailout funds. The Democrats initially proposed a rescue plan of about US$3.4 trillion, but later indicated that it could be reduced to US$2 trillion. In terms of specific content, the two sides have put forward very different plans in terms of federal unemployment assistance, federal food subsidies, assistance to municipalities and other local governments and schools in the United States.
Not long ago, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Democrats Pelosi and Mnuchin made a phone call. This was a direct communication between the negotiators of the two parties, but it did not achieve the purpose of restarting the negotiations. Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Schumer accused the White House of "not understanding the seriousness of the problems facing American families." Mnuchin immediately issued a statement accusing Pelosi of mischaracterizing the talks between the two sides and saying that the Democrats "have no interest in negotiations."
In view of the difficult progress of the two-party negotiations, Trump signed an executive order and three administrative memorandums to try to introduce some relief measures, including the provision of unemployment assistance, continued student loan reductions, and deferred payroll taxes for some Americans. Suspend eviction measures to protect tenants, etc. Democrats believe that the president lacks the legal power to take similar measures, and that the current federal budget does not have enough funds to meet the goals set out in these executive orders.
Currently, the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States Congress have entered a summer recess. US Consumer News and Business Channel reported that the two parties did not know when they would restart meaningful negotiations and both accused the other party of being unreasonable. The ineffective response of Congress may hinder efforts to contain the epidemic and undermine positive measures to improve the economy.
The New York Times reported that tens of thousands of Americans lost federal unemployment assistance due to the deadlock in the negotiations, the popular federal small business loan program ended, the federal ban on eviction of tenants expired, and schools across the United States The new school year began without a pledge of federal assistance. The Washington Post said that Fed officials, economists, governors, and mayors are all warning that with the expiration of some of the previous rescue measures, in the absence of an agreement between the two parties on a new round of rescue plans, The risks to the American economy are increasing every day.
"This bitter negotiation has evolved into an ugly blame game." "USA Today" quoted a political scientist at Middle Tennessee State University and a former congressional aide Saylor as saying that since the national conventions of the two parties are being held one after another, either party They don't want the other party to win something that can be portrayed as a political victory during the party's congress. The American people have become numb to such "political quagmire".
(This newspaper, Washington, August 23)