House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said on Thursday she remains confident she can strike a $3.5 trillion deal with President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to pass another coronavirus relief package.
“I have no doubt they’ll come around,” Pelosi told Bloomberg. The House Democrat leader said she remains assured that Republicans will agree to a coronavirus spending package closer to $3.5 trillion.
Pelosi revealed that Republicans have moved on the need for another coronavirus bill to agree that Congress needs to spend roughly $1 trillion in coronavirus relief.
Republicans and Democrats disagree on how many Americans should qualify for another round of stimulus checks, the degree to which state and local governments should receive aid, and if more unemployment insurance must be provided to pay for the high number of unemployed Americans during the coronavirus pandemic.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has insisted that any coronavirus package must include liability protections for businesses that reopen.
Pelosi also said Trump should use the Defense Production Act to produce more coronavirus testing equipment.
“We can get this done. The scientists have shown us the way,” she said.
The House passed its phase four coronavirus legislation, the HEROES Act, in May. The legislation would cost $3 trillion and is 1,815 pages.
The Heroes Act contains many leftist provisions. The bill would order that felons and illegal aliens be freed from prison. The bill would also allow businesses to hire illegal aliens over 33 million unemployed Americans.
House Democrats have pressed on Senate Republicans to pass their partisan legislation on Wednesday.
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) said on Wednesday, “Instead of working with House Democrats on this legislation, Senate Leader [Mitch] McConnell dismissed the bill.”
“Rather than downplaying the risk of reopening the schools, we should be doing everything we can to make sure that they can reopen safely,” he added.
Rep. Fred Keller (R-PA) countered that Democrats stuffed too many partisan provisions in the legislation.
“The issues that need to be addressed is narrowly focused legislation that helps our businesses, our local governments, and our state governments defeat coronavirus,” Keller said.
“Are there things in there that we could have a discussion on? Absolutely. But they’re not talking about that. They’re talking about all or nothing,” Keller added. “It has to be their way or they take their ball and go home.”
Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.
