The White House is eager to strike a coronavirus aid deal with Democrats by the end of this week that will likely cost far more than House or Senate Republicans are willing to support.
Despite a warning from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that the White House was pushing forward on a spending package that would divide Republicans, the bipartisan talks inched toward a deal Wednesday with a desire to finalize it by this week.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, negotiating on behalf of President Trump, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, made more progress by phone today, a Pelosi staff member said.
“Today’s conversation brings us closer to being able to put pen to paper to write legislation,” Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff Drew Hammill said. “With the exchange of legislative language, we are better prepared to reach compromise on several priorities.”
Earlier Wednesday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows told Fox Business he’s aiming for a deal by Friday, which would presumably provide enough time for Congress to clear a bill for Trump’s signature before Election Day. He told reporters outside the White House the two sides are talking but acknowledged the GOP “have concerns about where the numbers are going … as well as the underlying policy.”
The Senate GOP is opposed to the size and scope of the spending bill that is likely to emerge in a bipartisan deal. Many do not believe Congress can pass a new round of aid any time this year.
Senate Republicans Wednesday voted for a second time on a $500 billion coronavirus aid package. The cost is roughly the upper limit for most in the GOP, who want more scrutiny of the $3 trillion in federal aid already signed into law and still partly unspent.
The package Pelosi and Mnuchin are negotiating is likely to be higher than a $1.8 trillion offer Pelosi rejected earlier this month from Mnuchin.
Democrats want to exclude lawsuit liability protections for businesses, schools, and healthcare facilities. That’s another nonstarter for the GOP.
Majority Whip John Thune told reporters he does not believe the GOP could round up the 13 Republican votes that would be necessary to clear a 60-vote threshold if McConnell decides to bring up the bipartisan deal for a vote and try to pass it with nearly all Democratic support.
McConnell told reporters he’d take up the measure if a deal is indeed reached but won’t say whether he’ll do it ahead of Nov. 3.
Meadows told reporters it is too early to determine if enough Republicans would support the measure to pass it in the GOP-led Senate.
“I’m still very hopeful and very optimistic that we are making progress, and yet, our Senate Republicans are starting to get to a point where they believe [Pelosi] is not negotiating in a fair and equitable manner.”
For Trump, a preelection stimulus package would likely help his reelection bid. Trump is trailing in the polls, and the public blames him for the economic and health problems caused by the coronavirus.
A new aid package would include a new round of stimulus checks, loans for small businesses, money for vaccines, and treatment and funding for schools and day care.
Trump is now calling for negotiators to “go higher” than the $1.8 trillion recently offered by Mnuchin. Trump said the aid would eventually flow back to the Treasury by boosting states and the national economy.
