Washington, Nov. 19, (dpa/GNA) – The US Senate adjourned for the Thanksgiving holiday on Wednesday without Congress having made headway on stalled negotiations for a new stimulus package, even with coronavirus cases spiking and states rolling back reopenings.
Republicans and Democrats are at loggerheads on the stimulus bill, with neither side willing to compromise further, as has been the case for months.
The Senate will not hold another voting session until November 30.
Republicans say they are willing to pass a stimulus worth hundreds of billions of dollars in targeted aid, including to small businesses. Democrats are demanding a far more expansive bill, worth upwards of 2 trillion dollars.
States across the country are reimposing partial shutdowns, which include limits on gatherings, bans on indoor dining and even school closures.
While the unemployment rate has fallen since its peak earlier this year, there are mounting signs economic growth is again stalling under the weight of the pandemic.
Congress passed more than 3 trillion dollars in stimulus earlier this year, which included direct budgets to fight the virus, help for small businesses to survive, greater unemployment benefits for those who lost jobs and cash payments to households.
GNA