Bipartisan work continues on COVID-19 aid as pressure mounts while pandemic cases and deaths soar across the United States.
Earlier in the week, an aid package worth $908 billion was proposed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers. The package is intended to be temporary aid until April as hope of a COVID-19 vaccine remains high and Congress works to ensure the economy is stable.
"I really think we have some progress," US Senator Amy Klobuchar told WCCO Radio's Dave Lee on Thursday morning. "I've been pushing a lot of small business issues from restaurants, with so many closing in Minnesota, and our stages like First Avenue get through the pandemic."
Klobuchar said work has also focused on the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"This vaccine is so promising but it's not going to just going to plop down by parachute in the middle of Luverne," Klobuchar said. "We have to get it distributed, we have to have a plan, and we need to make sure we have the equipment to do it."
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Talks of a COVID-19 relief package hit a wall during the summer and late fall ahead of the November 3 election. Despite the political jostling, Klobuchar expressed optimism in the potential for something concrete to come out of the proposals.
"There is a group and a whole bunch of other senators involved in the proposal and we think we're going to get this done. Now, you've got a lot of players here. The House already passed something, so I think they're going to be ok," Klobuchar said. "President Trump has supported doing something over the last few months and certainly wants to get the vaccine out. I'm hopeful with Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and president-elect Joe Biden has already come out in favor of this."
The framework of the $908 billion proposal includes $288 billion in small business aid such as Paycheck Protection Program loans and $160 billion in state and local government relief.
$82 billion is included for education and $16 billion would be allocated for vaccine development and distribution, as well as testing and contact tracing.
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Klobuchar told Lee the aid will give the United States legs through the winter as vaccines roll out.
"Let's just get through these next three months, the winter," Klobuchar said. "Then we know the vaccine is starting to come out. As that comes out, the numbers start going down. At the same time, we don't want our economy to not be ready to bounce back. The way you do that is getting through this time and having rapid testing out there. We want to make sure it's more available for schools so they can reopen."
Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell rejected the proposed bipartisan relief package on Tuesday.
Congress needs to approve funding legislation by Dec. 11 to avoid a government shutdown.