Top U.S. Senate Republican says aid for states needs to focus on coronavirus

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Republican leader of the U.S. Senate said on Wednesday that Congress may decide to provide additional assistance to state and local government as part of another coronavirus relief bill, but that any aid needs to focus on the pandemic.

“We may well provide additional assistance, but my view is it ought to be clearly related to the coronavirus and that we ought to take a little time here to assess what we’ve already done,” Senator Mitch McConnell said in an interview with Louisville, Kentucky-based radio state WHAS.

“Revenue replacement by the federal government for states is clearly not appropriate.”

(Reporting by Tim Ahmann; Editing by Doina Chiacu)