US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday (Sept 30) said talks with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made progress on Covid-19 relief legislation, and the House of Representatives postponed a vote on a US$2.2 trillion (S$3 trillion) Democratic coronavirus plan to allow more time for a bipartisan deal to come together.
Less than five weeks before the Nov 3 presidential and congressional elections, Mnuchin and Pelosi both said negotiations would continue toward a bipartisan agreement to deliver aid to millions of Americans and businesses reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.
The virus has infected more than 7.2 million people and killed over 206,000 in the United States.
“We made tons of progress over the last few days. We still don’t have an agreement, but we've more work to do. And we’re going to see where we end up,” Mnuchin told newsmen after meeting with Pelosi for about 90 minutes in the US Capitol.
“We’ve made tons of progress in tons of areas,” he said.
For her part, Pelosi avoided use of the term “progress”.
“Secretary Mnuchin and I had an extensive conversation and we found areas where we're seeking further clarification. Our conversation will continue,” the top Democrat in Congress said in a statement.
She said the House would vote late on Wednesday on a US$2.2 trillion updated Heroes Act “to formalise our proffer to Republicans in the negotiations to address the health and economic catastrophe in our country".
But afterwards Wednesday that vote was postponed until Thursday (Oct 1).
Legislators are “giving one more day for a deal to come together,” a Democratic aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Mnuchin, in an interview on Fox Business Network, said he expected to speak with Pelosi again on Wednesday night to follow up on some issues.
“I don’t think we’re going to make significant progress until tomorrow at this point,” he added.
Asked if the administration was offering US$1.5 trillion, Mnuchin said: “It’s in that neighbourhood.”
He said if a deal is reached it will include direct payments to Americans.
Before the meeting in Pelosi’s office broke up, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, told newsmen that Republicans and Democrats were still “very, very far apart” on how much to spend and called Pelosi’s US$2.2 trillion bill “outlandish”.
Formal talks among Pelosi, Mnuchin, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows broke down on Aug 7.
Pelosi has since taken the lead for Democrats. Before talks between Pelosi and Mnuchin resumed, the White House had said Trump could agree to a US$1.3 trillion bill.
- REUTERS