House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has given the Trump administration 48 hours to address differences between what Democrats and Republicans want in a second coronavirus relief bill.
Drew Hammill, deputy chief of staff to Pelosi, tweeted Saturday night that the speaker and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin spoke for an hour regarding the relief bill.
“While there was some encouraging news on testing, there remains work to do to ensure there is a comprehensive testing plan that includes contact tracing and additional measures to address the virus’ disproportionate impact on communities of color,” Hammill tweeted. “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. Decisions must be made by the White House in order to demonstrate that the Administration is serious about reaching a bipartisan agreement that provides for Americans with the greatest needs during the pandemic.”
Pelosi’s 48-hour deadline rings hollow given in her own refusal to seriously address a second round of relief. Earlier this month, Pelosi held a vote on a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package that received zero Republican votes and even lost 18 Democrat votes, The Daily Wire previously reported. Democrats even messaged Pelosi and asked her to accept the Trump administration’s $1.6 trillion offer.
“Republicans have put forward a serious offer and I think leadership should stay at the table and get this across the finish line,” Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT) said at the time.
“This is going nowhere, we know it’s going nowhere. This is just a vote to make people feel good,” said Rep. Cindy Axne (D-IA). “I want to help people, and that means sitting at the table and getting the damn deal done.”
Last Tuesday, prominent Democrats told Pelosi to accept the Trump administration’s $1.8 trillion deal, which was the White House’s compromise.
“Nancy Pelosi take this deal!” said entrepreneur Andrew Yang, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination. “Put politics aside people are hurting.”
Former Obama administration adviser Dan Pfeiffer also told Pelosi to “aggressively pursue a COVID Relief deal with Trump.”
“People in need can’t wait until February. 1.8 trillion is significant & more than twice Obama stimulus,” said progressive Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). “It will allow Biden to start with infrastructure. Obama won in 08 by doing the right thing on TARP instead of what was expedient. Make a deal & put the ball in McConnell court.”
Pelosi’s demand is especially odd given that just Thursday, a YouGov poll showed Americans are blaming her for the delay in a new coronavirus relief bill. Forty-three percent of those polled blamed Pelosi for the delay while 40% blamed Trump. For independents, 45% blamed Pelosi while just 30% blamed Trump.
When asked by CNN’s Wolf Blitzer why Pelosi doesn’t accept a deal with the White House, the speaker snapped. “What makes me amused if it weren’t so sad, is how you all think that you know more about the suffering of the American people than those of us who were elected by them to represent them at that table,” Pelosi said.