Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy spoke at the Capitol Friday about a proposed bipartisan COVID relief package, endorsing the $908 billion in aid but saying more is needed. Both senators see it as a stopgap and say they expect a second deal to come in the early weeks of the Biden presidency.
Blumenthal said inaction makes the stakes high.
“Connecticut is spending about $20 million a week, $20 million a week on testing,” Blumenthal said. “That money runs out at the end of this year. There’s no immediate source for additional funding.”
Murphy also emphasized that Congress needs to act soon.
“This is an existential question for families and for businesses,” Murphy said. “If this legislation doesn’t pass by the end of the year, it is not hyperbole to say that lives will be at stake.”
Murphy spoke with incoming Connecticut House Speaker Matt Ritter, who said the state expects a budget shortfall in next two years. Murphy calculated that Connecticut would get about $2.5 billion from this bill, money that he said might prevent a tax increase and help build a vaccine distribution plan.
Included in the bill are dollars for Amtrak and Metro North. Both senators are worried that the two rail lines serving Connecticut might cease to exist in a post-pandemic world without relief.
Though he doesn’t think the bill goes far enough, Murphy said he and other lawmakers are committed to getting something passed. “As desperation increases, I think our willingness to compromise gets bigger,” he said.
Murphy said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is still not on board.
