McConnell: U.S. Republicans open to future possible coronavirus relief bill

[May 15, 2020]    WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday he is open to another relief bill to help alleviate economic pain inflicted by the coronavirus pandemic, and is talking to members of President Donald Trump's administration about possible legislation.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) attends a luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., May 14, 2020. REUTERS/Erin Scott

The top Republican in the U.S. Congress, though, declined to say in an interview with Fox News when his party might begin negotiating another stimulus bill and said their "red line" is including liability protection for companies and other institutions.

"We're all talking about this. And I talked to the Secretary of the Treasury about it yesterday, to the president's chief of staff and to the President," he said. "We all believe another bill is probably going to be necessary."

McConnell also put another nail in the coffin for a $3 trillion relief bill the Democrat-led House of Representatives is expected to consider on Friday, calling it a "parade of absurdities."

The bill known as the HEROES Act would have to pass the majority-Republican Senate before going to Trump, who has threatened to veto it.

(Reporting by Lisa Lambert and Mohammad Zargham; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

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