Negotiators 'miles apart' on Covid funding, with little hope for deal until September
White House officials and top Democrats concede that a coronavirus relief deal is still out of reach after six days without in-person meetings — leaving little hope that relief for millions of Americans will arrive by month’s end.
As of Thursday, Washington’s top negotiators have no plans to meet in the coming days, putting an indefinite halt to sputtering talks to assemble the next economic rescue package amid a pandemic that has infected over 5 million Americans. Democrats are now insisting they won’t sit down with White House officials until the GOP agrees to spend at least $2 trillion, double the size of the GOP’s initial proposal, while Republican officials remain unwilling to raise the overall price tag.
The Senate is now in recess until Labor Day, after technically remaining in session an extra week amid a burst of bipartisan talks, though most of its members went home last week. The House had already left for the rest of August and the first two weeks of September. Lawmakers in both chambers will be given 24 hours notice if they need to return to the Capitol to vote on any agreement.
Asked when she would next meet with Republicans, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Thursday: "I don’t know. When they come in with $2 trillion."
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