Administration, Democrats Spar Over May Jobs Numbers' Effect on COVID-19 Bill Prospects

President Donald Trump and members of his administration appeared Friday to narrow the scope of their desires for a fourth major COVID-19 aid bill in response to a better-than-expected Labor Department jobs report. Democratic leaders later pushed back. Labor said the U.S. economy added 2.5 million jobs in May, a month after it lost 20 million. Trump believes the U.S. is now “largely through” the pandemic but still wants legislation to provide another round of stimulus checks to Americans, a payroll tax cut and other tax incentives. Trump said in March he wanted future COVID-19 legislation to include $2 trillion in infrastructure spending, including for broadband projects (see 2003310070). House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. urged the Senate to pass the House-approved Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions. HR-6800’s broadband funding includes an $8.8 billion Emergency Broadband Connectivity Fund and $5 billion for E-rate (see 2005130059). Trump “must join us to support real action to protect lives and livelihoods, rather than hide behind these jobs numbers and pretend that the job is done,” Pelosi said. “Now is not the time to be complacent or take a victory lap,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.