56°
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
7 Day Forecast
Follow our weather team on social media

Rep. Garret Graves: Americans unlikely to receive stimulus before Nov. 3 Election Day

3 years 4 months 3 weeks ago Friday, October 23 2020 Oct 23, 2020 October 23, 2020 5:37 PM October 23, 2020 in News
Source: CNN

As millions of Americans find themselves in precarious financial situations, many remain hopeful for another stimulus from the federal government. 

But as of Friday, Oct. 22 it seems unlikely politicians will reach a deal regarding the stimulus before Election Day, which falls on November 3.

Negotiations between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, the White House's chief negotiator, appear to have reached an impasse.  

During a Friday morning interview with WBRZ, Congressman Garret Graves of the 6th District of Louisiana was asked if he thinks it's possible a deal will be reached before Nov. 3.

Graves replied,"I think that window is unfortunately closing and what's holding it back unfortunately is politics." 

However, he went on to explain that despite the current roadblocks to progress in stimulus talks, after the election there may be more of a chance that lawmakers will reach an agreement. 

"I think after the election when things decompress and folks are actually able to have more rational thought," Graves said. "I think it's a very good chance (that a stimulus deal will be reached)."  

Graves said it's more likely talks will finalize with a stimulus deal by the end of the year. 

But at the moment, lawmakers have not provided any indication of nearing an agreement before Election Day. 

According to CNN, on Thursday, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Dick Shelby, an Alabama Republican, told reporters, "It could always be a miracle, but not very many around here."

The remaining points that lawmakers need to negotiate include state and local funding and how the money can be used, liability protections, funding for COVID testing and tracing, unemployment insurance, and education funding. 

on Thursday, House Speaker Pelosi said there still wasn't a deal on several major sticking points; an indication that though the past week's negotiations may be headed in a positive direction, they have yet to yield an outcome.

With both sides continuing divided over how much education funding is needed, how to structure state and local funding, how to divvy out money for contact tracing and testing so it is equitable and how much money should go to unemployment insurance benefits, there's still a hefty amount of compromise to be made.

Though the end goal, of an improved economy, is the goal for both parties, details associated with the best way to reach that destination are proving difficult to iron out.  

Rep. Graves told WBRZ, "We all agree that additional stimulus payments to families and individuals who need it are needed, additional funds for schools to open safely and improve their virtual connection is needed, additional funding for testing is needed, another round of our paycheck protection program to offer that lifeline to some of the small businesses that are esp suffering. If those four came up for a vote, and probably a handful of others, it would pass with flying colors. But politics is preventing it from even coming to a vote."

"Politics," Graves said, "is thwarting the needs and the will of the American people, and it's wrong." 

More News

Desktop News

Click to open Continuous News in a sidebar that updates in real-time.
Radar
7 Days