Trump Administration 'Paused' Hill Talks on Next COVID-19 Bill, Kudlow Says

Formal negotiations between President Donald Trump’s administration and Congress on a fourth major COVID-19 legislative package temporarily “paused” while the White House monitors the economic impact of the beginning of easing pandemic-related restrictions by some states, National Economic Council Director Larry Kudlow told reporters Friday. Trump and congressional Democrats want a future COVID-19 bill to include major broadband funding (see 2004300058). Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi and some other Republicans also signaled interest (see 2005070055). “We just had” major aid funding via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act and a supplementary measure to inject further money into the Paycheck Protection Program, Kudlow said: “We put all this money in, which is fine. It's well worth it. Let's see what happens. As we move into the reopening phase this month, maybe spillover to June, let's have a look at it before we decide who, what, where, when.”