Sen. Romney Optimistic Coronavirus Relief Bill Will Pass Congress
Dec 20, 2020, 11:28 PM | Updated: Dec 21, 2020, 5:38 am
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Help is on the way for millions of Americans. It’s not quite final yet, but Utah Sen. Mitt Romney said he was optimistic a new relief package will pass very, very soon.
After days of negotiations, Congress is expected to pass the measure Monday. The compromise did not come easily.
Romney worked with a team of bipartisan lawmakers who helped come up with a proposal that puts more money in the pockets of struggling Americans.
“Well, the good news is that all of the sticking points of a significant nature have been resolved,” he said. “The measure is going to pass. I can’t tell you exactly what day it’ll happen. I think it should happen tomorrow, but it may be a little longer than that.”
The bill was expected to include $600 stimulus checks for most people, supplemental unemployment payments of $300 a week to continue for the next several months, housing assistance, funds to distribute vaccines and more money for businesses struggling to pay rent and workers.
“A number of us were very, very concerned that since March there had really been no package to help people,” Sen. Romney said.
He said it was a bipartisan group of eight lawmakers who came together a month ago and worked every single day to come up with a proposal.
“They’ve then taken what we had, over the last week, and I’m sure made some changes, some additions and deletions, but it’s basically the same $900 billion proposal, and we’re going to get that passed and get it to people who need it,” he said.
Sen. Romney told KSL TV he knows that the bill is not going to make everyone’s challenges go away, but it’s designed to help a little bit.
“What I can tell you is, help is on its way, but we expect something of all the Utahns as well. That is, get vaccinated, because as soon as you get vaccinated, that’s an absolute sure way to get things back to normal,” he said.
If the new relief package isn’t passed 12 million Americans stand to lose unemployment benefits the day after Christmas.
Sen. Romney said all the sticking points have been resolved, and the bill should pass in the next day or so.
