Pelosi, White House call on COVID-19 aid ends without a breakthrough

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Pelosi, White House call on COVID-19 aid ends without a breakthrough

By David Morgan and Susan Heavey

 

FILE PHOTO: U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks about stalled congressional talks with the Trump administration on the latest coronavirus relief during her weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., August 13, 2020. REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A telephone call on coronavirus economic relief between U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and an adviser to President Donald Trump ended on Thursday with no breakthrough, and Pelosi said talks would not resume until the Trump administration agreed to $2.2 trillion in aid.

 

Pelosi and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows spoke by phone for about 25 minutes, the first chance in weeks to resume stalled COVID-19 aid negotiations. But the two sides soon appeared to be as far apart as ever.

 

"This conversation made clear that the White House continues to disregard the needs of the American people as the coronavirus crisis devastates lives and livelihoods," Pelosi said in a statement following her conversation with Meadows.

 

"We're willing to come down - meet them in the middle - that would be $2.2 trillion, and when they're ready to do that we'll be ready to discuss and negotiate the particulars," the top Democrat in Congress told reporters.

 

"But we can't go any less because we have to meet the needs of the American people we will not short change them we will not nickel and dime them."

 

Meadows and Pelosi are two of the four negotiators who were involved in talks on legislation to help Americans and businesses suffering from a coronavirus pandemic that has now killed nearly 180,000 people. The others are Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.

 

The talks broke down on Aug. 7, with the sides far apart on major issues including the size of unemployment benefits for tens of millions of people made jobless by the pandemic, aid for state and local governments and funding for schools and food support programs.

 

The Democratic-controlled House in May passed a $3.4 trillion coronavirus relief bill but Pelosi offered to reduce that sum by $1 trillion. The White House, which had proposed $1 trillion in aid, rejected the offer. Democrats have since demanded repeatedly that the White House agree to "meet in the middle".

 

The Pelosi-Meadows phone call came hours before Trump was due to accept his party's nomination Thursday evening. Some Democrats have said they did not expect the White House to resume negotiations in earnest until after this week's Republican National Convention.

 

On Wednesday, Meadows said in an interview with Politico that he was not optimistic negotiations would resume soon.

 

U.S. airlines have warned that massive layoffs will be coming without further aid during the pandemic.

 

They are hoping a fresh stimulus bill will extend for six months $25 billion in payroll aid that expires on Sept. 30 under legislation approved earlier this year.

 

The head of the union representing American Airlines' pilots, who are facing 1,600 furloughs, sent a letter to Trump on Wednesday urging action to extend the package and prevent tens of thousands of layoffs on Oct 1.

 

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and David Morgan; additional reporting by Eric Beech and Richard Cowan in Washington and Tracy Rucinski in Chicago; Editing by Scott Malone and Alistair Bell)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-28

 

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[LomSak27]

Some Days the Trump still astounds. That he is a liar, demagoguing fascist, and a fraud?! Old news. 

 

His supporters will be hit hardest without continued aid at previous levels, but he digs in his hoofs and won't do it. Guarantee a Biden win, this will go a long way to putting him over the top. Even if he finally agrees, when the damage becomes apparent even to his oblivious eyes; AKA FOX news, it will be too late, or likely too little too late..

 

Good for the stock market, at my age, retired obsessive money counter now, good for me, but definitely not good for the country or his base.  

[Tug]

3 minutes ago, LomSak27 said:

Some Days the Trump still astounds. That he is a liar, demagoguing fascist, and a fraud?! Old news. 

 

His supporters will be hit hardest without continued aid at previous levels, but he digs in his hoofs and won't do it. Guarantee a Biden win, this will go a long way to putting him over the top. Even if he finally agrees, when the damage becomes apparent even to his oblivious eyes; AKA FOX news, it will be too late, or likely too little too late..

 

Good for the stock market, at my age, retired obsessive money counter now, good for me, but definitely not good for the country or his base.  

Part of me agrees with you but imo in trumps mind hordes of homeless families looting for food to feed their kids playes rite into trumps fear mongering about the (looting hoards burning the city’s) hope I’m wrong but I wouldent put it past him

[JusticeGB]

Pelosi is only making offers that she knows will be rejected as a political stunt. She is the person keeping money from the unemployed. It is ridiculous to give unemployed people $600 a week if this is more than they earn when they are at work. 

[Thailand]

It stands to reason there was never going to be a breakthrough during the Republicans Trump family convention.

[BobBKK]

1 hour ago, LomSak27 said:

Some Days the Trump still astounds. That he is a liar, demagoguing fascist, and a fraud?! Old news. 

 

His supporters will be hit hardest without continued aid at previous levels, but he digs in his hoofs and won't do it. Guarantee a Biden win, this will go a long way to putting him over the top. Even if he finally agrees, when the damage becomes apparent even to his oblivious eyes; AKA FOX news, it will be too late, or likely too little too late..

 

Good for the stock market, at my age, retired obsessive money counter now, good for me, but definitely not good for the country or his base.  

Funny stuff now how about a dose of reality? Pelosi crammed all sorts of no-covid pc nonsense into the Bill knowing it could not pass. I am non-political and dislike Trump, I think Biden is a nicer guy actually, but I loathe the modern Dems so much you could not pay me to vote for them. They lie, lie and lie again for political gain - it's a horrible state of affairs.

[2 is 1]

36 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

Pelosi is only making offers that she knows will be rejected as a political stunt. She is the person keeping money from the unemployed. It is ridiculous to give unemployed people $600 a week if this is more than they earn when they are at work. 

So you want forget every unemployed people and move more money to Trump's "friend's" pocket. You think if more people become marginalized it's good for coundry! Every great coundry take care of they underprivileged citizen! Ok maybe Trump supporters think they not vote anyway! So who cares!

Unemployed can go to eat Trump's "wall brick" ! 

Edited August 28, 2020 by 2 is 1

[BobBKK]

Just now, 2 is 1 said:

So you want forget every unemployed people and move more money to Trump's "friend's" pocket. You think if more people become marginalized it's good for coundry! Every great coundry take care of they underprivileged citizen! Ok maybe Trump supporters think they not vote anyway! So who cares!

"Every great coundry take care of they underprivileged citizen!"  oh really?

India?

China?

Russia?

 

or do you mean a few very wealthy, small countries do?  Norway maybe?  someone has to PAY for looking after unemployed layabouts many of whom do not wish to work (to all, some). In my country, England, we pay immigrant families to sit at home with their 5 kids and get fat - then we treat them in hospitals for FREE and WHO PAYS?  think about it.

[LomSak27]

33 minutes ago, JusticeGB said:

It is ridiculous to give unemployed people $600 a week if this is more than they earn when they are at work.