Pelosi Shifts Stimulus Deadline

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi affirmed Sunday that Democrats in the House have told President Donald Trump and his negotiating team that they have just 48 hours more if they want to secure a far-reaching Covid-19 relief package prior to US elections on November 3.

"The administration continues to fail to meet the well-documented need for funds to protect frontline workers in health care, first responders, sanitation, transportation, food workers, teachers and others, and to prevent service cuts to struggling communities", Pelosi told House Democrats in her letter.

Pelosi says she is still hoping to find "common ground", but she has already given a 48-hour deadline to the administration if they want to get a relief package passed before the presidential election on November 3. "He may do this, he may grant, he may withhold".

Over the past several months, negotiations on the stimulus package have stalled and restarted several times.

With off again-on again negotiations between Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin going on for many weeks-and refusal of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring the House-passed HEROES Act to the floor for months-the Speaker told ABC News on Sunday morning that time was simply running out for a viable deal to be reached and passed before Election Day.

He said the Senate would vote Tuesday to extend the paycheck protection program for small businesses, and on a larger measure on Wednesday that included PPP funding, extra unemployment insurance benefits, school aid, and money for testing, tracing and vaccine research and distribution.

"On this subject where we have agreement, we don't have agreement on the language yet, but I'm hopeful", Pelosi said.

Hammill said that Pelosi and Mnchuin made progress on a nationwide policy for testing and tracing, while addressing the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus impact on minority communities.

Another issue has been funding for state and local governments. A spokesperson for Mnuchin also confirmed the talks, saying the two parties would again speak on Monday.

According to the Washington Post, Pelosi has not spoken with President Donald Trump in over a year, but reiterated Sunday that she's negotiating through his emissaries and there's little point in talking directly with the president because he's not truthful.

"I'm ready to sign a big, handsome stimulus", the president said at an NBC town hall on the night of October 15. He has also repeatedly called on Congress to "go big or go home". However, she put the spotlight on the White House to actually make the deal come together.