King calls on Senate to pass stimulus funding

WASHINGTON, (WMTW) - Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) is calling on his colleagues in the U.S. Senate to pass a new coronavirus aid package similar to the one passed by the House of Representatives 10 weeks ago.

King says his top priorities include extending unemployment benefits at a reasonable level for Maine workers, and provide help to Maine schools.

"The President is pushing schools to open. It's not going to be cheap to reopen a school under these circumstances. The staff and the teachers are going to need PPE. (Personal Protective Equipment). There's going to have to be extra school bus transportation." King said.

The senator estimates the proposed $500 billion in aid for states would send Maine $2 billion. The state’s projected revenue shortfall is now more than $1 billion over the next two years.