Everyone wants a stimulus deal. So why isn’t there one?

Post Reports

The Washington Post

Daily News, Politics, News

4.4 • 5.1K Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2020

⏱️ 22 minutes

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Summary

Why we still don’t have a second pandemic relief bill. What the funding holdup means for schools. And how rushing this year’s census could shape our democracy for years to come.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has announced that the Senate will take up a narrow economic relief bill when it returns to session next week — one that Democrats will probably block. White House economics reporter Jeff Stein reports on the content of the stimulus bill.

As talks sour over the economic recovery package, public schools are once again bracing to lose out on tens of billions of dollars of federal aid — money they say they desperately need to reopen as they face mounting costs and shrinking budgets. “We saw a ton of rhetoric, particularly from the Trump administration, about how important it was to reopen schools in order to restart the economy,” says education reporter Moriah Balingit. “There has not been money that has followed that rhetoric.”

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end the 2020 Census count early, putting an end to the contentious legal battle over the once-in-a-decade household count. Courts reporter Robert Barnes explains the vast implications of an undercount.

As the general election draws nearer, millions of people are figuring out how to vote for the first time or vote by mail for the first time. And the rules are changing fast, as states figure out how to adjust to the pandemic.

The Post is partnering with ProPublica this fall to report on the problems voters are running into as they cast their ballots ahead of Nov. 3. And if you’re having trouble voting this year, we want to hear from you — about anything from long lines or harassment at the polls, to voter ID confusion and inaccurate ballots. These concerns are really important to voice.

To share your experience, message our tip line by texting VOTE to 81380, or fill out this form by ProPublica.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	From the newsroom of the Washington Post.
0:05.0	Hi, this is Vanessa Williams from the Washington Post.
0:09.0	Hey, it's Philip Rutger at the Washington Post. Do you have a minute?
0:12.0	Hi, this is Dan Zagff.
0:13.0	This is Post Reports. I'm Martine Powers.
0:17.0	It's Wednesday, October 14th.
0:21.0	Today, why there still isn't another stimulus.
0:26.0	And what that means for schools desperate for help.
0:29.0	Plus, the census comes to an abrupt stop.
0:36.0	We should be doing something else right now.
0:38.0	We shouldn't be doing this.
0:40.0	We should be passing coronavirus relief like the House just did,
0:45.0	which was a significant bill that would have been a big help.
0:48.0	As the Senate is busy confirming a new Supreme Court justice,
0:52.0	lots of Democrats in the hearing are pointing out what the Senate is not doing,
0:56.0	trying to pass a stimulus bill.
0:58.0	The Senate urgently needs to pass critical financial relief
1:03.0	for those who are struggling because of this pandemic.
1:07.0	Last week, Treasury Secretary Stephen Mnuchin,
1:10.0	the president's top negotiator and stimulus negotiations with Democrats,
1:14.0	announced that the administration was significantly increasing its offer
1:18.0	to get a deal to $1.8 trillion they would put on the table.
	...

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