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- Nancy Pelosi and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Sunday that the other party keeps “moving the goalposts” in stimulus talks.
- Pelosi previously said any agreement made last week — i.e., before Sunday, October 25 — could become law before Election Day.
- No deal has been agreed, and differences remain on financial aid for state and local governments.
- “We’ve continued to make offer after offer after offer and Nancy continues to move the goalposts,” Meadows said in a CNN interview Sunday.
- If a bill isn’t passed before the election, House Democrats would keep pushing for a deal afterwards, Pelosi said.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Mark Meadows, the White House chief of staff, have each accused the other of “moving the goalposts” during stimulus negotiations, as the chances of passing a funding package into law before Election Day grow ever-slimmer.
Pelosi told reporters on October 18 that a package agreed by the end of the week — i.e., Sunday October 25 — had a chance of becoming law before the November 3 election. No agreement had been reached by that date.
Both sides have struggled to agree on measures such as financial aid for state and local governments, and protection from COVID-19 liability for employers.
Meadows said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that the White House had “continued to make offer after offer after offer and Nancy continues to move the goalposts.”
During the same program, Pelosi said the White House “keep moving the goalposts” during discussions.
She said a stimulus package, which would include $1,200 stimulus checks for individuals, could pass the House this week — but that it's up to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell "as to whether it will happen in the Senate."
"We want it the sooner the better, and that's why we're making concessions," she said.
Pelosi has pushed for a $2.2 billion package. The White House has offered $1.88 billion, but Senate Republicans have said they would block any deal for more than $1.8 billion from becoming law.
Pelosi said Sunday that the Trump administration continued to update its language on unresolved issues, such as coronavirus testing.
"My understanding is we will be reviewing that over the weekend and will be having some answers on Monday," she said.
Pelosi added that House Democrats would keep pushing for a deal after the election if a bill isn't passed before then. They wouldn't wait until January, even if the Democrats win the election, because "people need help right away," she said.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told reporters on Friday that Pelosi "is still dug in" on a number of issues. He said that if Pelosi wanted a deal, there would be a deal.
Pelosi's spokesman Drew Hammill said Friday evening that committees and staff would continue to work through the weekend to negotiate a stimulus plan, suggesting there was still hope for an agreement.