House Democrats have started drafting a stimulus proposal of roughly $2.4 trillion that they can take into possible negotiations with the White House and Senate Republicans, according to House Democratic officials, Bloomberg News reported. The bill could get passed by the House next week. While smaller than the $3.4 trillion package the House passed in May, it remains much larger than what Senate Republicans have said they could accept. President Donald Trump has indicated he’d be willing to go as high as $1.5 trillion. “When you are talking about $2.2 trillion and $1.5 trillion you are in deal-making territory” said Representative Dan Kildee (D-Mich.). House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer had earlier pressed the White House for a $2.2 trillion package. As the top-line figure remains well above what the Trump administration has favored, the new House bill may do little on its own to resolve the impasse in talks that’s persisted since August. Senate Republicans have been unable to coalesce around an earlier $1 trillion proposal, and instead backed a $650 billion plan that ended up getting blocked by Democrats as insufficient. The bill adds to the previous $2.2 trillion Pelosi-Schumer plan with help for the U.S. airline industry to avert massive job losses, which could start Oct. 1 when restrictions expire from a prior round of federal assistance. Also included is small-business aid and a bailout for restaurants.
