McConnell shores up GOP support for coronavirus package

Senate Republicans appear to be largely unifying behind a scaled-down coronavirus relief package, with several GOP senators on Wednesday saying they will vote for a smaller proposal.

GOP leaders want at least 51 of their 53 members to vote for the coronavirus bill — a symbolic victory that would allow them to project unity on the issue despite the legislation not being able to get the 60 votes needed to ultimately pass the Senate.

“I’m optimistic we’ll have a good vote on our side,” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told reporters after a closed-door lunch while declining to say if he had locked down at least 51 Republican votes.

Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Republican senator, said leaders were “optimistic” they would have the votes.

“We remain hopeful, and we’ll see where the vote comes out,” he added.

GOP leaders are voicing increased confidence that they will be able to put up a majority for the bill after it was unveiled earlier this week. It is the second such bill put forward by Republicans.

The legislation includes a $300-per-week federal unemployment benefit, another round of Paycheck Protection Program funds, more money for testing and schools, and liability protections against coronavirus-related lawsuits.

Asked if McConnell had told them he has 51 GOP votes, Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said, “Let me put it this way: The goal has always been to get to that number, of course. We’re having the vote … and he’s optimistic about tomorrow being a good vote.”

Several GOP senators who had been deeply critical of the $1.1 trillion bill that Republicans unveiled in July said on Wednesday that they would be supporting the smaller bill, which is expected to be roughly half as much.

Sens. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who were each critical of the July package, said on Wednesday that they would support the latest measure.

“Several conservative senators had gotten together over the last 10 days to two weeks and were interested in something that was going to get the figure down to $300 to $500 billion. So the top line was always my main concern,” Braun said about his decision to support the new bill.

That added support comes after leadership was also able to secure the backing of GOP Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Ron Johnson (Wis.) and Pat Toomey (Pa.), who had also been critical of the July bill.

Johnson, explaining his decision to support the latest bill, specifically pointed to language included in the plan that provides the ability to recoup unspent money from the $2.2 trillion CARES Act passed in March.

“It’s something I hope 53 Republican senators vote yes on,” Johnson said, adding that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “accommodated” some of his concerns about the initial GOP bill.

Republicans are hoping to unite around a smaller bill amid broader negotiations between Democrats and the Trump administration over a fifth coronavirus relief package, with talks stalled for weeks amid deep disagreements over its size.

So far, only GOP Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) has indicated that he will vote against the new Republican plan. That caps potential Republican support at 52 of the 53 Republican senators.

Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), who is pushing for tax credits related to home schooling, has not yet said how he will vote and is viewed as the one significant remaining holdout. He told reporters earlier Wednesday that he was undecided.

Other GOP senators indicated that they were still reviewing the bill but were likely to support it on Thursday’s procedural hurdle, where it will need 60 votes.

“I’m still reading the bill,” said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.). “But assuming there’s no spending porn inserted in there that we’re not familiar, with I’m going to be a yes.”