Manchin: If We Can’t Agree on Liability Protections and State and Local Funding, We Should Put Them Aside and Pass Other Bill

On Monday’s “PBS NewsHour,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) stated that disagreements over liability protection and funding for state and local governments should not hold up agreement on the next round of coronavirus relief. Manchin said that if Democrats and Republicans can’t agree on those issues, “then that stays by itself” and the $748 billion emergency relief package he backs should be passed.

Manchin said, “That should not hold agreement up on this. We would love to have one bill. We’ve agreed on $908 billion, 160 billion for state and local need. There’s an awful lot of states. And there’s a lot of people, basically, first responders, whether it be policemen, firemen, whatever, that we — essential services, that we need in every state, that are basically reducing their workforce because of a lack of revenue. That needs to be attended to. The other is liability. My Republican friends believe very strongly that businesses shouldn’t be able to sue out of business — be sued out of business. We, as Democrats, believe that too.”

He later added, “If, for some reason, they can’t come to an agreement, and the Senate and the House Democrats and Republicans won’t agree, then that stays by itself. Because those two are — those two are one bill, liability and state and local help. The 748 is the emergency bill, Judy. That takes care of every need every American has with their lifeline for housing, rental, basically everything that’s needed for you to survive, get through the worst quarter of next year, which is going to be the first quarter.”

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