Airport Alert: Coronavirus Relief Package Stalls in the Senate

The Senate today failed to move forward with a coronavirus relief package that could include $10 billion to help airports respond to the pandemic. The Senate rejected a motion to limit debate on the measure by a vote of 47 to 47, falling short of the 60 votes necessary.

 

Senate negotiators have been working around the clock in an effort to reach an agreement on the third coronavirus package. But based on today's vote, there are not enough Senate Democrats who are comfortable with the package in its current form.

 

Today's cloture vote means lawmakers on both sides of the aisle will need to continue negotiating in order to reach a final deal. They will not have much time since Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said he wants the Senate to vote on final passage tomorrow.

 

It is also unclear what is going to happen in the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has expressed concerns about the coronavirus relief package, which was negotiated primarily by a bipartisan group of Senators. She indicated earlier today that House Democrats may introduce their own bill.

 

In a letter to her Democratic colleagues later in the afternoon, Speaker Pelosi said, "we are finalizing our Take Responsibility for Workers and Families legislation." She also indicated that there is a "big difference" between the House Democratic bill and the Senate version of the third coronavirus relief package.

 

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and other House committees have been working over the weekend to come with up their list of their own priorities for a third relief package. However, it is unclear how much more work the committees need to do or when the Speaker will actually unveil the House Democratic proposal.

 

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) said today that he has tested positive for COVID-19, making him the first Senator and the third lawmaker to contract the disease. With that as a backdrop, there will likely be even more pressure on Democrats and Republicans to resolve their remaining differences and pass the coronavirus relief package as quickly as possible.

 

As we mentioned earlier today, if a deal comes together, and if the emergency appropriations package is included, the details are very positive for airports. The draft language provides $10 billion for airports. Airports would be allowed to use $7.4 billion of that amount for any lawful purpose - half allocated based on enplanements and the other half based on ratio of debt service and reserves.

 

Stay tuned for more updates.