NEW ECONOMIC RELIEF BILL UNLIKELY
Mnuchin says no deal expected before November election
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Wednesday that a new economic relief bill is unlikely before the election, suggesting that Democrats are unwilling to give President Donald Trump a victory.
“I’d say at this point getting something done before the election and executing on that would be difficult, just given where we are,” Mnuchin said during an event hosted by the Milken Institute’s Global Conference.
Asked whether Democrats are unwilling to make a deal because they don’t want to give Trump a win three weeks before the election, Mnuchin replied: “I think that definitely is part of the reality. That’s definitely an issue.”
“But the president is very focused on when he wins we will need to do more. So that’s part of the reason to continue to work on this,” the treasury secretary added. “The clock will not stop.”
Mnuchin made his comments after an hourlong conversation he had Wednesday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DSan Francisco. The two have been negotiating for a couple of weeks despite the long-shot prospects for success. Trump on Wednesday called for a deal in a Twitter post, urging negotiators to “Go big or go home!!!”
Mnuchin on Friday made Pelosi a $1.8 trillion offer that she rejected as inade
quate in many respects, including the administration not agreeing to specifics on a national coronavirus testing strategy.
“It’s like you’re bleeding and they keep putting BandAids on it but they’re not addressing the problem,” Pelosi told House Democratic leaders in a meeting Wednesday, referring to the administration’s refusal to embrace a national strategic testing plan. Her comments were confirmed by a person familiar with them
who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the meeting was private.
Pelosi’s spokesman, Drew Hammill, said on Twitter that Pelosi and Mnuchin had a “productive” conversation and would speak again today.
Trump on Wednesday blamed Democrats for the log jam, telling the New York Economic Club: “I’d like to see the Democrats loosen up a little bit.”
He said that concern about the rising national
debt is “very much on my mind,” but that the issue would be taken care of because of faster economic growth, a claim that economists from both major political parties have questioned. The U.S. federal deficit has broken records because of the government’s efforts in response to the coronavirus and is expected to breach $3 trillion for this year after reaching $1 trillion last year.
Mnuchin and Pelosi have agreed on some areas, including a new round of
$1,200 stimulus checks, but have remained far apart on funding for state and local aid, child care and unemployment insurance, and continue to argue over specific language in some areas. Democrats also oppose liability protections the administration wants in any deal.
Mnuchin criticized Pelosi’s focus on a comprehensive deal, saying lawmakers should act immediately to help specific sectors, such as airlines that have begun mass furloughs after federal aid expired at the end of September. Pelosi and Mnuchin brief ly discussed a stand-alone airline-aid bill last week, but Pelosi then rejected that idea amid a backlash from some unions and Democrats questioning why only airlines should get help.
“From our perspective we could have immediate help to many different parts of the economy now,” Mnuchin said.
“I don’t agree with the speaker’s approach of ‘ we have to do all or nothing.’ We’re continuing to negotiate a comprehensive bill but we want to put money into the economy now,” Mnuchin said.
Senate Republicans oppose the Mnuchin offer, saying it is too costly, and they convened a conference call with Mnuchin and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows over the weekend to make their opposition clear. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, RKy., intends to try to advance a narrow $500 billion bill next week on the Senate f loor, where it’s likely to encounter Democratic opposition. He tried the same thing last month.
Trump has made erratic moves and demands that appear to have streng thened Pelosi’s negotiating position, including saying last week that he wants to spend more money than Democrats have approved. Days earlier he called off talks, only to backtrack on that almost immediately. The House last month passed a $2.2 trillion bill that Senate Republicans have not brought up for a vote.