House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday said she remains optimistic a COVID-19 stimulus package could be signed before Election Day.
“I’ll never give up hope,” she told CNN “State of the Union” anchor Jake Tapper. “I’m an optimist.”
Pelosi said last Sunday that Democrats and the Trump administration needed to finalize a deal within 48 hours or else a package wouldn’t make it to President Donald Trump’s desk before Nov. 3.
She told Tapper on Sunday that Democrats have already “put pen to paper and started writing the bill based on what they said they’d get back to us on,” namely the language in a $75 billion provision for testing and contact tracing. The White House, Pelosi argued recently, wanted to soften words in the bill like “shall” and “requirements” to “may” and “recommendations,” which could leave states on their own instead of ensuring that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides guidance nationwide.
“For us to do anything, though, that does not crush the virus, is really official malfeasance," Pelosi said Sunday. “And to crush the virus, we just have to follow the science: Testing, tracing, treatment, mask wearing, ventilation, separation, and the rest.”
Pelosi noted that working families were suffering, millions more had gone into poverty and nearly 900,000 women left the workforce last month.
“We have to act ... We’re still waiting for the final OK” from the administration, she said. “We cannot just say, ‘Here’s $1 trillion, Mr. President, spend it however you want.'”
Pelosi has argued that people of color, who have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, would be hurt by weaker stimulus language that doesn’t nail down a national plan based on science. The administration, meanwhile, wanted language noting the CDC “can” provide guidance, as opposed to “must” provide guidance.
Pelosi said Sunday that, if necessary, she’d continue to push for a stimulus package after Election Day regardless of the outcome.
Trump recently blamed Pelosi for holding up a deal. But the president has often called for “big, bold” relief packages unsupported by Republicans in the Senate, who express concerns over the national debt. Democrats passed an expansive aid bill in May that went nowhere in the Senate; Democrats have since routinely blocked Republicans’ cheaper, more targeted packages from advancing.
According to the Washington Post, the latest $1.8 trillion proposal on the table for Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin provides a weekly $400 boost to unemployment benefits; $1,200 stimulus checks to millions of Americans and $1,000 for dependents; $300 billion in state and local funding; new funding for testing and contact tracing; more funding for the Payroll Protection Program; and likely some liability protections for businesses.
Related Content:
"Give" - Google News
October 25, 2020 at 10:48PM
https://ift.tt/37EdCvc
COVID stimulus deal: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t ‘give up hope’ for agreement before Election Day - MassLive.com
"Give" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2YqGX80
https://ift.tt/2YquBwx
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "COVID stimulus deal: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi won’t ‘give up hope’ for agreement before Election Day - MassLive.com"
Post a Comment