House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that she and the president's negotiators need to reach a coronavirus stimulus relief package agreement in 48 hours if they are going to pass legislation before the election.She added that getting a stimulus package before Nov. 3, "depends on the administration."
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MORE: Key coronavirus indicators suggest as winter approaches, US headed in wrong directionPelosi said Sunday that they had reached an agreement on some subjects, but that the strength of the language used in the measure was at issue. The speaker said that the administration wanted to change stronger words like "shall" and "requirements" to more flexible terms like "may" and "recommendations.""Where we have agreement, we don't have agreement in the language yet, but I'm hopeful," Pelosi said on ABC's "This Week.""The difference amounts to this, if you think of it this simple way: When you say 'may' you're giving the president of slush fund," she told ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos, explaining the differences in language in the legislation. "He may do this, he may grant, he may withhold."When Stephanopoulos asked Pelosi if she would meet with President Donald Trump, who, as of Friday, she has not spoken with directly in a year, the speaker said she would if there was a purpose to the meeting."This is not a casual conversation," Pelosi said. "This is about a meeting of the head of the first branch of government, the legislative branch, and the president. If there is a purpose, if it -- if there is a stipulation of trying to get something done, then perhaps we take this to that place when we can't solve other problems."Negotiations have stalled and then started up again in the months since the CARES Act passed.Sarah Silbiger/Reuters, FILEHouse Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 13, 2020.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi speaks during her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Aug. 13, 2020.In May, the House passed the HEROES Act, a $3 trillion relief package that did not progress in the Senate. In September, the Senate voted on a $1 trillion Republican proposal but Democrats voted down the measure.MORE: COVID-19 testing capacity outpacing desire to get swabbed President Donald Trump tweeted earlier this month that he was stopping negotiations on the relief package, only to reverse course later that night.
He said during his NBC town hall Thursday, that he thinks he can get Republicans on board for a larger relief package, but he had not "asked them to because I can't get through Nancy Pelosi."Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced that the Senate would vote on two coronavirus relief measures this week, a $500 billion stimulus proposal and additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program.Some Democrats have urged Pelosi to make a deal with the White House, like California Rep. Ro Khanna who tweeted last week, "people in need can't wait until February....Make a deal & put the ball in McConnell court."This is a developing news story. Please check back for updates.Source : abcnews.go.com