Senate Republicans vetting COVID-19 relief that Trump would sign

[December 02, 2020]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that he and his fellow Senate Republicans have begun considering COVID-19 economic relief provisions that President Donald Trump would be willing to sign into law later this month.

President Donald Trump waves as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House upon his return to Washington from Camp David, U.S., November 29, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

"I think the one thing we all agree on, is that we don't have time for messaging games. We don't have time for lengthy negotiations," McConnell told reporters, saying that he has also received a proposal from Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

"The issue is, do we want to get a result? And I like to remind everybody that the way you get a result is you have to have a presidential signature," McConnell added.

The Kentucky Republican said that he and House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy spoke with White House officials about what measures Trump would accept and that proposals are being circulated to Senate Republicans for feedback.

McConnell said COVID-19 relief provisions would likely be combined with a must-pass measure to replenish government funding that is set to expire later in December.

He added that there are also expectations for an additional coronavirus relief bill in the new year, when President-elect Joe Biden is due to be sworn into office.

(Reporting by David Morgan and Lisa Lambert, Editing by Franklin Paul and Grant McCool)

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