Where's the bill? Full text of stimulus hasn't been released but vote is expected today

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says chamber will vote Wednesday on a $2 trillion coronavirus release package but text of final bill isn't public

By Nicholas Ballasy

Published: March 25, 2020 12:23pm

Updated: March 25, 2020 4:53pm

The full text of the final $2 trillion economic stimulus plan hasn't been publicly released, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says the GOP-led Senate will still vote Wednesday on the legislation.

"The Senate is going to stand together, act together, and pass this historic relief package. Struggling Americans are going to go to their mailboxes and find four-figure checks to help with their bills because the Senate stepped up," the Kentucky Republican said in a Senate floor speech. "We are going to pass this legislation later today."

Just the News reached out to McConnell's office on Wednesday requesting the full text of the final negotiated legislation. The office provided some background information but has yet to provide the full text.

White House and Senate negotiators struck a deal overnight on a draft bill.

Since then, social media has lit up with calls to make the bill public before the GOP-controlled Senate votes on what is poised to be the biggest stimulus spending bill in U.S. history.

A Twitter user asked: "Where's the copy of the bill?? We would like to see it!!!"

Another Twitter subscriber wrote, "Where's the bill? Let us see it!"

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Wednesday that "we have a bipartisan agreement on the largest rescue package in American history."

Shortly after, a small business owner tweeted at Schumer asking where they could find the text of the bill.

Another Twitter user asked, "Where's the link to the bill?"

"I haven't seen a text," Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott told Fox News on Wednesday afternoon.

The delay in having a final draft – and vote – appears to be related to concerns that language in the bill providing additional money for those made jobless by the virus creates an incentive for them not to return to work and stay unemployed.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats released a 1,400-page coronavirus relief bill totaling about $2.5 trillion on Monday evening. Since its release, Pelosi said she plans to vote on the legislation that the Senate passes through "unanimous consent" without most members present.