GOP expects Senate to be in session next week without coronavirus deal

Senate Republicans said on Tuesday that they expect to be in session next week as negotiations on a fifth coronavirus bill appear to be at an “impasse.”

The tentative plan, described by GOP senators leaving a closed-door lunch, means the Senate will be in Washington, D.C., for at least the first week of a previously scheduled four-week break that had been expected to start on Friday.

“We have been told we would likely be back next week, unless we somehow finish this week,” said Sen. Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of GOP leadership.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), an adviser to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), told reporters that “we’ll be in session next week, if we don’t get a resolution this week.”

The House left town last week. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has said he will call House members back to Washington with a 24-hour heads-up once there is an agreement ready for a vote.

The negotiations are between Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, leaving most lawmakers to get updates from reporters and leadership.

Asked why the Senate would stay in town if most aren’t directly involved in the talks, Cornyn added, “How do you think it looks for us to be back home when this is unresolved? This is the most important thing we need to be doing.”

McConnell hasn’t announced a change to the Senate’s schedule. Asked about being in session next week, a spokesman for the GOP leader said, “the Leader will let everyone know when we have an update and / or guidance.”

Negotiators say they are making progress in the most recent talks on Saturday and Monday but they still remain far apart on significant sticking points like unemployment insurance, state and local aid and McConnell’s red line of liability protections for businesses.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, told reporters after a closed-door lunch with Mnuchin and Meadows that the talks are at an “impasse.”

“Nothing’s happened,” he added.