Democrats are arguing to extend the program to provide $600 weekly payments to unemployed Americans into the next year, while Republicans are seeking to scale down the program and redirect the funds to other parts of their proposal.
Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer met with Treasury Sec. Steve Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows on Monday to discuss top-line numbers of both proposals.
The HEROES Act (Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions Act) was passed by House Democrats in May, and the HEALS Act (Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools Act) was unveiled by Senate Republicans last month.
“We are really getting an understanding of each side’s position,” Schumer said, according to the Politico report. “And we’re making some progress on certain issues moving closer together.
“There are a lot of issues that are still outstanding, but I think there is a desire to get something done as soon as we can,” he continued. “And so, we’re continuing to work.”
Mnuchin also said negotiators are getting “a little bit” closer to agreeing on creating a larger stimulus package but Meadows said that going over the $3 trillion threshold for the proposal is “not even a valid question,” according to the Politico report.
Pelosi told House Democrats on a conference call that negotiators on both sides would likely not come to a middle ground until mid-August, Politico reported.
“It is my hope we could do it this week…but probably not until next week,” the House Speaker said, citing the report.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made a dig at Pelosi and Schumer’s approach to negotiations on the stimulus bill and their continued effort to push the House’s HEROES Act.
“The Speaker of the House and the Democratic leader are continuing to say our way or the highway,” McConnell said on the Senate floor Monday. “[Schumer’s] digging in on a House messaging bill written with no input from his own members, that even House Democrats themselves called absurd.”
*story by Business Insider