Congress COVID relief negotiations: Democrats squeezed as talks continue
Updated Dec 15, 2020;
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By Andrew Taylor | The Associated Press
Top Washington negotiators continued to reach for a long-delayed agreement on COVID-19 relief on Monday, but rank-and-file Democrats appeared increasingly resigned to having to drop, for now, a scaled-back demand for fiscal relief for states and local governments whose budgets have been thrown out of balance by the pandemic.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., spoke with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin by phone Monday evening and continues to press for help for struggling states and localities. But top Democratic allies of President-elect Joe Biden came out in support of a $748 billion plan offered by a bipartisan group of lawmakers and hinted they won’t insist on a pitched battle for state and local aid now.
Democrats squeezed as Covid-19 relief bill talks continue
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Second stimulus check updates: Democrats squeezed on state and local aid as COVID-19 relief talks continue
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Andrew Taylor
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer of N.Y., walks past reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) December 15, 2020 - 7:37 PM
WASHINGTON - Top Capitol Hill Republicans laboured Tuesday to keep the price tag for a long-delayed COVID-19 aid package in check, seeking to prevail in a battle over help for state and local governments, while capping the cost of bonus jobless benefits and direct payments sought by Democrats.
Negotiations on COVID-19 relief intensified Tuesday after months of futility. The top four leaders of Congress met twice in hopes of finally cementing an agreement that would revive subsidies for businesses hit hard by the pandemic, help distribute new coronavirus vaccines, fund schools and renew soon-to-expire jobless benefits.
Talks escalate on new COVID-19 aid package, top U.S. congressional leaders to meet Andrew Taylor Bookmark Please log in to listen to this story. Also available in French and Mandarin. Log In Create Free Account
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Drew Angerer/Getty Images
Talks on a long-delayed COVID-19 aid package intensified Tuesday as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi summoned other top congressional leaders for a potentially critical meeting.
Pelosi, D-Calif., spoke with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin for more than an hour, her office tweeted, and Mnuchin will join the make-or-break meeting of Capitol Hill’s “big four” leaders by phone.