President Trump sought to draw a hard line on the coronavirus relief bill Sunday, saying that it must include a payroll tax cut and liability protections for businesses, as lawmakers prepare to plunge into negotiations over unemployment benefits and other key provisions in coming days, The Washington Post reported. “I would consider not signing it if we don’t have a payroll tax cut,” President Trump said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” Democrats strongly oppose a payroll tax cut, and some Republicans have been cool to it, but Trump said “a lot of Republicans like it.” President Trump also said that “we do need some kind of immunity” in the bill. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has repeatedly insisted the legislation must include liability protections for businesses, health-care providers, schools and others. Democrats oppose this, too. President Trump’s comments come as Senate Republicans are exploring new limits on emergency unemployment benefits for people who were high earners before losing their jobs. If the White House and Senate GOP priorities make it into the bill, the legislation would effectively cut taxes for people who have jobs while cutting benefits for the unemployed. Sen. McConnell is expected to introduce an approximately $1 trillion stimulus bill in coming days that will include a limited extension of the federal unemployment benefits approved by Congress in March. Those benefits are set to expire as soon as this week.
