Washington/AP (WBAP/KLIF) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin engaged in fast-paced negotiations on Tuesday to cut a deal on a major relief package that could pass before Election Day — but Senate Republicans continued to throw cold water on any deal with the enormous price tag envisioned by Democrats and President Donald Trump.
President Trump’s most powerful Senate ally is pressing the White House not to move ahead on a coronavirus pandemic relief package.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow Republicans that he has warned the White House not to divide Republicans by sealing a lopsided $2 trillion relief deal with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi before the election.
McConnell presented a much smaller $500 billion proposal to the Senate that does not include a 2nd stimulus check for citizens.
Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says his COVID relief bill does not include another round of stimulus checks for Americans. pic.twitter.com/Bt4YHdCuOn
— The Recount (@therecount) October 20, 2020
Pelosi’s office says talks with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday were productive. But other veteran lawmakers say there is still too much work to do and not enough time to do it to enact a relief bill by Election Day.
Pelosi and Mnuchin agree to a second round of stimulus checks for individuals, help for schools and reinstating federal unemployment income assistance. The two sides remain divided on aid to struggling local governments and states.
