Minus local government relief, House passes $484B coronavirus bill

The House approved a small business lifeline Thursday -- but the bill doesn't include money to bail out state or local governments.

News 12 Staff

Apr 23, 2020, 7:22 PM

Updated 1,555 days ago

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The House approved a small business lifeline Thursday -- but the bill doesn't include money to bail out state or local governments.
The bill will provide nearly $500 billion more in funds to the Paycheck Protection Program. Along with $320 billion for small businesses, it includes $75 billion to help overwhelmed hospitals and $25 billion for a new coronavirus testing program. President Donald Trump has said he plans to sign the deal.
The Republican-controlled Senate passed the bill Wednesday, but it did not include $150 billion that would have gone to state and local municipalities, many of which have been hit hard by coronavirus response.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he doesn't want the federal government to bail out mismanaged state and local governments, even suggesting they seek bankruptcy options instead.
Rep. Peter King (R-2nd District) says McConnell's remarks were wrong and that local governments will need relief.
"There is no doubt that Nassau County, Suffolk County, for them to survive, for New York state to survive, there has to be federal assistance," says King. "That's why when someone like Mitch McConnell says that states should go bankrupt trying to get federal aid ... that's absolutely disgraceful, it's indefensible."
Gov. Andrew Cuomo also weighed in on the issue Thursday, saying New York gives more to the federal government in taxes than it receives in aid, and that any request for funds is not a bailout.
Cuomo called McConnell's comments, insensitive, politically driven and "one of the dumb ideas of all-time."
 


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