A sharp disagreement over whether to provide coronavirus liability protections to businesses, schools and other organizations has quickly emerged as one of the biggest obstacles to getting a deal on COVID-19 relief legislation, The Hill reported. Both sides are digging in, with Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-Ky.) and Democratic leaders — Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) — calling the issue a looming dealbreaker. Not only is the disagreement standing in the way of passing the first major coronavirus package since late March, it’s also pitting key Republican and Democratic constituencies against each other: the business community versus unions and trial lawyers. Negotiations between the White House and congressional Democrats stalled this week largely because of the standoff over the liability shield in the GOP’s coronavirus package unveiled Monday. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told reporters after Wednesday’s talks that Pelosi and Schumer “don’t appear to be in a negotiating mood.” A day earlier, McConnell declared he will not bring coronavirus relief legislation to the Senate floor unless it includes liability protections crafted by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an influential member of the Judiciary Committee.
