Second Stimulus: White House Breakdown of Negotiations Leaves People Stunned, Frustrated Online

The frustration from Americans after Washington could not come to an agreement on the next [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

The frustration from Americans after Washington could not come to an agreement on the next coronavirus stimulus package. Congressional Democratic leaders met with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and White House chief of staff Mark Meadows Friday for a last-ditch effort to come to some agreement before a Friday deadline, but it was not to be. Now, Mnuchin is asking President Donald Trump to follow through with his calls to sign unilateral executive orders on some of the sticking points between the two sides. It all means Americans will have to wait even longer for a second stimulus check payment.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had a two-hour-plus meeting with Mnuchin and Meadows Friday. Afterward, Mnuchin said they "did not make any progress," reports USA Today. "[Meadows] and I will recommend to the president, based on our lack of activity today, to move forward with some executive orders." Earlier in the week, Trump suggested he would sign executive orders extending eviction protections, unemployment benefits, and student loan repayment relief, as well as instituting a payroll tax cut.

The talks began last week after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell introduced the $1 trillion HEALS Act, two months after the House passed the $3 trillion HEROES Act. Democrats have called for a bigger coronavirus relief package but agreed to come down to $2 trillion on Friday. Pelosi said the White House rejected that. "I've told them, 'Come back when you are ready to give us a higher number,'" Pelosi said, reports CNBC. The California Democrat said she could also cut the budget by making some of the proposed programs end earlier than planned.

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Pelosi also sent a letter to her colleagues Friday, listing several of the areas where the sides still disagree. Pelosi said Democrats want to fund COVID-19 testing with an additional $75 billion, but the Republican bill included $15 billion. Republicans offered $150 billion to help states and municipalities, below the $915 billion Democrats want to spend, Pelosi said. The two sides also disagree on the enhanced federal unemployment benefit, which expired on July 31. The program sent $600 per week to unemployed Americans, but Republicans have sought to cut that down.

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Trump rejected Democrats' request for almost $1 trillion to help cities and states, arguing they are "only interested in Bailout Money for poorly run Democrat cities and states," which has "nothing to do with China Virus!" Trump tweeted that he had "no interest" and "we are going a different way!"

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