In the final stretch to election day, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell and Democratic challenger retired Lt. Colonel Amy Mcgrath are gaining momentum. Both outspoken on the next coronavirus relief package.

“Mitch McConnell has left over a billion dollars for Kentucky schools on his desk right now. In my mind, we need those things. A lot of those things were passed in the Heroes Act… at least put it to the floor for vote,” McGrath said.

But today, McConnell had a different agenda. Instead, building support for the Republican version of the bill.

“In July we proposed the Heals Act, a sweeping package totaling more than $1 trillion,” McConnell said. “It would have led to bipartisan talks but speaker Pelosi and the Democratic leaders said no.”

McConnell has announced the Senate will vote on a targeted version of the bill this week. It’s expected to carry a price tag of around $500 billion, but McGrath says that’s not enough to assist struggling Americans.

“Right now we know that just state a local governments are going to need so much of that money,” McGrath said. “We still don’t have a national testing and tracing plan.”

Lawmakers are debating what should be funded in this relief bill, in terms of a second round of stimulus checks, support for schools, and support for the U.S. Postal Service.

McConnell mentioned the bill does not contain everything that Democrats and Republicans want, but says it will need bipartisan support.

“But the American people don’t need us to keep arguing over what might be perfect. They need us to make law,” McConnell said.

Even if all 53 Senate Republicans vote for the bill, some Democrats would have to jump on board. the legislation needs at least 60 votes to move forward.