GOP's Kennedy thinks passing another coronavirus relief bill is unlikely

Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) isn't optimistic Congress will pass another coronavirus relief.

"We may not be able to pass another bill," he said during a Senate Banking Committee hearing. "I think it's less than 50 percent chance of passing another bill."

Kennedy believes that whatever deal is brought forth by a negotiating team likely made up of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) will likely "receive serious pushback from both Republicans and Democrats in both Houses for a variety of reasons."

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Before the last bill was passed, Kennedy said lawmakers would "moan and groan" about the package, but ultimately went along with it given the circumstances. He's not sure either side will be up for making concessions this time around.

The senator has introduced his own legislation that allows state and local governments to use the $150 billion they received from the CARES Act in March for operating expenses unrelated to the coronavirus. Mnuchin said he's open to the bill if it garners bipartisan congressional support. Read more at The Hill.