According to Vice President Mike Pence’s top aide in an interview this morning with Bloomberg Radio, the White House wants Congress to pass another stimulus package by the first week in August, before lawmakers head home for their annual summer recess, and to keep the cost at $1 trillion or less. Marc Short, Pence’s chief of staff, in the interview with Bloomberg Radio, “I think we want to make sure that people that are still unemployed or hurting are protected but at the same time, we want to take into consideration the fact the economy is bouncing back and want to try to contain the amount of spending. “There’s obviously been a lot of stimulus put in the system over the last couple bills, and so the price tag for us would be that.”
The White House and lawmakers are set to intensify talks on a new package of virus-related stimulus this month, after they return to Washington from their Independence Day holiday break. Trump administration officials have eyed a $1 trillion spending cap since at least early June, Bloomberg News reported last month. And the White House expects the next coronavirus relief package will cost up to $1 trillion, Marc Short said. The House is scheduled to begin its recess by Aug. 3, with the Senate following a week later. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said he wants Congress to complete work on the next phase of stimulus by then.
“By that time table, we want to have a bill on the president’s desk,” Short said. Sen. Rob Portman’s Deputy Communications Director released the following statement to FOX8, “As we move forward with negotiations on the next relief package, Rob is open to additional relief but believes it should be targeted at those who need it most while also providing incentives to get individuals safely back to work and to get the economy back up and running.”