Stimulus Checks: Progressive Democrats Fuming After Nancy Pelosi Rejects Latest Offer

The Democrats and the Republicans have been trying to agree on another stimulus package without success. It has been nearly seven months since Congress passed the CARES Act, and Americans are eager to see whether more aid from the federal government is on the way. The White House offered House Democrats a $1.8 trillion deal on Friday, which Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi rejected, per Newsweek. Now, multiple Democratic lawmakers are calling on leading members of Congress to come together to pass another stimulus package finally.

One of the most significant points of contention between the Democrats and Republicans has been the total price point of the package. On Friday, the White House reportedly offered the Democrats a deal in the $1.8 trillion range, a number which falls below what they are looking for. In response to that offer, Pelosi said that it was "one step forward, two steps back." In a letter to her colleagues, she had much more to say about this recent proposal. As she wrote in the letter, the California Democrat also called the offer "grossly inadequate" and "wholly insufficient."

"The news is filled with the numbers in terms of dollars," Pelosi continued. "The heart of the matter is: can we allow the virus to rage on and ignore science as the Administration proposes, or will they accept the scientific strategic plan in the Heroes Act to crush the virus. We have other differences in terms of who benefits from the spending. But in terms of addressing testing, tracing and treatment, what the Trump Administration has offered is wholly insufficient." While Democrats rejected the Republicans' latest offer, their own $2.2 trillion proposal has already passed in the Democratic-controlled House. However, Republicans and the White House have already rejected that plan. In light of these failing negotiations, numerous progressive lawmakers, including Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, have all called on leading members of Congress to come together on a stimulus plan.

Pressley wrote on Twitter, "Donald Trump's own @federalreserve chair agrees, families need COVID relief NOW. Do your job @senatemajldr." She included a link to an article concerning Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who has urged lawmakers to pass economic legislation. Jayapal also took to Twitter to write, "Families need relief, small businesses are closing forever, people are losing their housing, and the virus is still at large. It has been nearly TWO weeks since the House passed a robust aid package to address ALL of these issues head-on. It's time for the Senate to do the same."