With negotiations between Democrats and the Trump administration on a second round of stimulus still in abeyance, Senate Republicans have floated the idea of a "skinny" stimulus package that would reduce federal unemployment benefits but not provide funds for a second $1,200 stimulus package.

The draft includes a federal unemployment subsidy of $300 per week through the end of the year, the same amount the federal government would pay under President Trump's recent executive order. This is half of the $600 provided under the CARES Act, which expired on July 31. [Continuing federal unemployment benefits have been a major point of contention in negotiations between Democrats and the White House, with proposals ranging from continued $600 per week, to immediate cuts in benefits, to a complete phase-out over several months. However, because of the difficulties in the talks, the unemployed have been without federal subsidies since the last week of July.

What is not included in the "skinny" bill: stimulus checks 2. Although there is broad agreement from all sides to provide an additional $1,200 to citizens, the Republican proposal reportedly does not include direct payments. Presumably, this will come up later as another phase of negotiations.

The new bailout package, which would also provide $10 billion to the U.S. Postal Service, has been a major topic of discussion in recent weeks, with growing concern, especially among Democrats, about the impact of the leadership change and new operating policies on the 2020 election. House members will be called back to Washington over the weekend to vote on a measure to support the USPS. [The bill also includes funding for paycheck protection programs, school reopenings, and coronavirus testing and vaccine production. However, it is unclear at this time how much support the bill really has and whether it will make it back to the negotiating table.

"There's not much reason to put together a bill and vote for it unless there's majority support, that is, unless almost all Republicans are for it," said Senator Roy Blunt (Republican).

House Democrats, meanwhile, are urging the leadership to initiate additional assistance for the unemployed.

"In addition to extending unemployment benefits to help pay the bills, it is incumbent on those waiting to get back to work across the country to tie these benefits to economic conditions so that workers are not held hostage to another cliff like this one," several lawmakers wrote in a letter Tuesday.

Even though the skinny bill does not include stimulus check 2, the lawmakers agreed that another round of direct benefits would be beneficial to eligible Americans.

The CARES Act passed this spring provided an additional $500 for dependents under age 16 and $1,200 for middle- and low-income individuals. The House-approved HEROES Act and the Senate Republican HEALS Act, a proposed stimulus package2 that includes the HEROES Act and the Senate Republican HEALS Act, would provide an additional $1,200 to those who qualify under the CARES Act. Both bills would also expand dependent care benefits, although in different amounts.