‘Fingers crossed’: Covid and spending deal could come today, says senior Senate Democrat

Durbin says bipartisan Covid package got started at a ‘socially distanced’ dinner among some senators – despite officials’ urging against such gatherings

Thursday could be the day congressional leaders and the Trump White House close a year-end deal on Covid-19 relief and government spending, the Senate’s second-ranking Democrat said.

Negotiators have spent the last few days trying to reach agreement on a slimmed-down version of a coronavirus recovery package, while also finalising a dozen fiscal 2021 federal appropriations bills. Most Covid-19 relief programmes expire next week and government funding is slated to lapse on Friday at midnight.

"Fingers crossed, we may come up with a ... covid relief bill today," Senate Democratic Whip Richard Durbin said as the chamber gaveled into session with one day to go before the government is on track to shutter. 

A few minutes later, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, described talks as “on the 1 yard line”. But he warned talks are at a “fork in the road”, and still could be sunk by “politics as usual”.  He said the Senate “working through the weekend” appears increasingly “highly likely”.

The Covid package is slowing down movement of the government appropriations bill, meaning Congress might have to pass another stopgap spending measure before Friday night.

But leaders of both parties on Wednesday night said they are closing in on a final Covid deal.

That measure is expected to, at the demand of Senators Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley – an expected liberal and conservative duo – include new stimulus checks for struggling Americans.

The emerging deal, lawmakers say, is expected to feature direct payments in the ballpark of $600 or $700 – although that is far short of the $1200 pushed by Mr Sanders. The leadership bill also should extend unemployment benefits by $300 per week through March, when the incoming Biden administration expects to have sent its even larger pandemic recovery proposal to Capitol Hill. The still-forming compromise appears to include $325bn for small business and $257bn for the Paycheck Protection Program. Also in there: funds for schools and vaccine distribution efforts.

The reported remaining sticking points related to performing arts funding and how to use funds that would go into emergency accounts.

Mr Durbin was part of a group of senators from both parties who helped revived the long-stalled Covid talks after they put forth a $908bn proposal.

He said that effort got started at a “socially distanced” dinner about three weeks ago at an unnamed senator’s Washington home,

Officials have urged Americans to avoid domestic gatherings during the holiday season.