'Still very far apart': Democrats and White House on verge of abandoning aid deal
by Susan Ferrechio, Chief Congressional Correspondent
August 06, 2020 09:18 PMTop Trump administration officials said Thursday night they are on the cusp of abandoning efforts to craft a bipartisan coronavirus aid package unless Democrats take significant steps toward a compromise by Friday.
“We are not going to just keep on coming back every day if we can’t get to a deal,†Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said after a nearly three-hour meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. “Schumer and Pelosi are in discussions right now on whether it’s worth coming back.â€
Pelosi called the meeting “consequential†but said it “reinforced†that Republicans and the White House “don’t understand the gravity of the situation.â€
The two sides are trillions of dollars apart on a deal. Democrats are seeking a broad $3.4 trillion aid package, while Republicans are aiming for a package worth roughly $1 trillion. Democrats have been negotiating with Trump officials for nearly two weeks, without much advancement toward a compromise.
Pelosi, a California Democrat, called the GOP proposal “anorexic,†adding, “we’re very far apart. It’s most unfortunate.â€
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