A new debate broke out on yesterday over the next infusion of federal dollars needed to bolster an economy battered by the coronavirus pandemic, as Democrats pressed to add money for hospitals and state and local governments to an emergency infusion of $250 billion requested by the Trump administration to help distressed small businesses, the New York Times reported. The counterproposal, put forward by Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, threatened to slow down the additional round of funds for a new loan program created by the $2 trillion stimulus package for small businesses, which the administration and Republicans had hoped to speed through Congress by the end of the week. “The bill that they put forth will not get unanimous support in the House,” Pelosi said. The debate is over an interim measure that lawmakers in both parties agree is necessary to reinforce the small-business loan program — which had a troubled rollout and has been inundated with requests from desperate companies — before Congress turns to a more sweeping bill it has begun referring to as “Phase Four” of the coronavirus aid efforts. But even the smaller, more immediate measure has created some friction. In a joint statement yesterday, the Democratic leaders said that they supported the administration’s request for an additional $250 billion for the loan program. But they said $125 billion of that should be directed to underserved businesses that might otherwise have trouble securing loans, including those that are owned by women, people of color and veterans, or situated in rural areas.
