‘You Have Until Tuesday’: Pelosi Issues Ultimatum Over Relief Funds

‘You Have Until Tuesday’: Pelosi Issues Ultimatum Over Relief Funds

Tyler Durden

Sun, 10/18/2020 – 14:55

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has given the White House until Tuesday to come to an agreement on the next round of pandemic stimulus before the November 3rd election, after spending the last several weeks refusing to agree to increasing amounts offered by the Trump administration.

On Saturday night, Pelosi’s team sent conflicting signals after setting the deadline – with her spokesman Drew Hammill clarifying that she means by the end of Tuesday, not Monday “on the design on some of these things” which are currently unresolved, according to Bloomberg.

Earlier Saturday, President Trump said during a phone interview with Wisconsin TV station WMTJ that he believes he “could quickly convince” Republicans to back a “good” deal.

“If you said a trillion-eight, if you said 2 trillion, if you said 2 trillion-two — many numbers — I’m willing to go higher than that,” said Trump, adding “I will take care of that problem in two minutes.”

Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke at length Saturday night about efforts to finalize a stimulus package to help the U.S. weather the affects of the coronavirus, especially as signs emerge of rising economic strain for millions of Americans.

They spoke for an hour and 15 minutes and agreed to speak again on Monday, Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley said on Twitter. Their staffs will keep talks going in the meantime. Hammill wouldn’t comment on any agreement for Mnuchin and Pelosi to talk on Monday. –Bloomberg

Hammill, Pelosi’s spokesman, noted in a Saturday evening tweet that Pelosi and Mnuchin still needed to hash out ‘a comprehensive testing plan that includes contact tracing and additional measures to address the virus’ disproportionate impact on communities of color,” adding “There remains an array of additional differences as we go provision by provision that must be addressed in a comprehensive manner in the next 48 hours.”

Trump, meanwhile, says Pelosi is ‘playing politics.’

In an interview with ABC‘s “This Week,” Pelosi was dismissive of comments by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who opposes a relief package as large as the $1.8 trillion deal she and Mnuchin have been discussing.

She responded that McConnell said Saturday he would put a bill on the Senate floor that reflects an agreement between the House and the White House if one materializes. That, however, “is among his many statements,” she said on ABC.

Pelosi was referring to a statement by McConnell’s office that focused more on his scheduling the days for votes this week in the chamber on a narrower $500 billion relief bill and a separate standalone bill to help small businesses.

But he also said: “If Speaker Pelosi ever lets the House reach a bipartisan agreement with the Administration, the Senate would of course consider it. But Americans need help now.” –Bloomberg

In a Sunday letter, Pelosi slammed the White House for their alleged “refusal to commit to a science-based national plan for testing, tracing, and treatment to crush the virus,” and accused the White House of funding a “slush fund for the Administration which “may” grant or withhold rather than a prescribed, funded plan to crush the virus.”

That said, Pelosi wrote that she’s “optimistic that we can reach agreement before the election.”

Full text below:

Dear Democratic Colleague,

On Friday, the number of coronavirus infections reached a staggering 69,000 cases, the highest daily number in months.  As infections soar and deaths increase, we must urgently act to protect the lives and livelihoods of the American people.

Coronavirus relief negotiations proceeded over the weekend, with Secretary Mnuchin sending awaited language on testing.  While there was some encouraging news, much work remains.

The White House had assured Democrats that they would accept our language on testing with a “light touch.”  Unfortunately, as the committees of jurisdiction review the White House’s language provision-by-provision, it has become clear that these changes are not a light touch but instead, a deep dive.

These unacceptable changes include, but are not limited to, the White House’s refusal to commit to a science-based national plan for testing, tracing, and treatment to crush the virus.  The White House has removed 55 percent of the Heroes Act’s language for testing, tracing, and treatment.  Especially disappointing was the elimination of measures to address the virus’s disproportionate and deadly impact on communities of color.  The White House does not appreciate the need to direct resources to culturally competent contact tracing.

Instead of recognizing the need for a strategic plan, they have changed words including “shall” to “may,” “requirement” to “recommendation,” and “strategic plan” to “strategy.”  These changes make the funding a slush fund for the Administration which “may” grant or withhold rather than a prescribed, funded plan to crush the virus.  It is important to note the impact in terms of the disparity facing communities of color: a Latino child is eight times more likely to have to go to the hospital because of COVID-19 than a white child, and a Black child is five times more likely.  We want all of our children protected.

Children are further affected negatively in the White House’s refusal to expand the Child Tax Credit, Child and Dependent Tax Credit, and the Earned Income Tax Credit, while continuing tax benefits for some of the wealthiest in America.  This is especially disappointing in light of reports this weekend that poverty has grown by six million in the past three months as CARES benefits are exhausting, meaning that eight million Americans are now living in poverty.  Our proposal would reduce childhood poverty significantly.

Children are also shortchanged by the refusal of the Administration to increase the child care provisions.  If children are not able to go to school, parents are not able to go to work.  Child care is therefore essential.  At the same time, everyone wants children to be able to go back to school safely.  This takes money, and the Republicans are still falling short on what is needed to provide the separation, ventilation, sanitation, and especially, funding for teachers and support staff to enable this to happen.

Funding for schools comes largely from state and local government, and 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.

Sadly for our country, the Administration wants to undermine the Census, unless we can act legislatively.  The Administration and the President’s appointees to the Courts have decided in his favor to hold up the count in the Census.  At the same time, the Administration refused to allow time for the count, once hopefully resumed, to be accurately reported to the Congress.

These are a few of the issues that were discussed this weekend, but they are not exhaustive of our concerns.  We are hoping to find common ground.

I am optimistic that we can reach agreement before the election.  To that end, we are writing language as we negotiate the priorities, so that we are fully prepared to move forward once we reach agreement.

Updates will be ongoing as our Chairs continue to review language for Liability and OSHA, small business, health care providers, and elections.  Hopefully we will have more progress to report on our conference call tomorrow.

Thank you for your leadership.  Stay safe.

NANCY

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