House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that “we’re making progress” on a second coronavirus stimulus bill, but there was no deal yet.
Pelosi, D-Calif., said negotiations were continuing with the White House on a bill to help an economy recover from a downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic, but differences remained.
“We want to see that they will agree on what we need to do to crush the virus so that we can open the economy and open our school system,” Pelosi said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.”
Asked if a deal could come this week, Pelosi demurred.
“It just depends on if they understand what we need to do to crush the virus,” she said. “You just cant say we need to do something but we’re going to let the virus run free.”
Pelosi’s comments came after President Donald Trump, hospitalized due to the coronavirus, tweeted out his support for a new stimulus package.
In an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday, voters said Joe Biden would do a better job than Trump in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic by 52% to 35%. The survey gave Biden a 14-point lead, 53% to 39%, over Trump in the general election.
Another sign of progress in the stimulus talks was Pelosi telling airline executives to hold off on plans to lay off thousands of employees. Unlike in other industries, airline workers who lose their jobs need to be recertified and receive new security clearances, a process Pelosi said could take months.
“What I said to the airline executives, in a public statement is, ‘Don’t fire the people. You know relief is on the way and it will be retroactive so let’s keep them employed,’” Pelosi said.
CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage
While praying for Trump’s recovery, Pelosi said she hoped his illness would spur an agreement on funding for testing and contract tracing in attempt to halt the virus’ spread. That’s part of the stimulus package now being negotiated.
“I hope it will be a signal that we really have to do better in preventing the spread of this virus,” she said. “People always ask what impact will this have on the election? I say, I’m not interested in that. What I’m interested in is what impact will it be on coming to the table with us and doing what we have to crush the virus, listen to science, have the public-private role that needs to be done to crush the virus.’”
In addition to $75 billion for coronavirus testing and contact tracing, the $2.2 trillion stimulus bill approved by House Democrats over unanimous Republican opposition included $1,200 stimulus checks, $600 in extra weekly federal unemployment insurance payments through Jan. 31, $436 billion in state and local aid, an extension of the paycheck protection program, and a one-year suspension of the GOP tax law’s $10,000 cap on deducting state and local taxes.
Senate Republicans have yet to approve another round of stimulus legislation. A $1 trillion proposal never came up for a vote and a $500 billion bill didn’t have enough support to pass.
Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com.
Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
Comments