Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows are expected to resume discussions on the coronavirus relief package today. This will be the first set of negotiations on the issue since August 7.
The two sides reportedly remain far apart, however. The House of Representatives passed a $3.4 trillion-dollar package in May and the Senate was developing a $1 trillion deal last month, and Meadows is pushing for a bill that’s slimmer still.
In negotiations before the House and Senate took their August recess, Speaker Pelosi offered to cut $1 trillion from their bill if the Senate would add $1 trillion in stimulus to their legislation. However, the two sides remain far apart on the deal. Congress will also have to take up a government funding bill in the coming weeks to avert a shutdown before the election, putting further pressure on the two sides to move on the pandemic stimulus.