Negotiations on another coronavirus relief package collapsed earlier this month.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows predicted Wednesday that the White House and Democratic leaders will be unable to reach agreement on the next coronavirus relief package before the end of September, and instead suggested House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will use a must-pass government spending bill to force Republicans’ hand on federal assistance in response to the pandemic. In an interview with Politico, Meadows said he does not believe he will hear from Pelosi, a California Democrat, to jump-start negotiations on a new coronavirus measure and accused the House speaker of requesting federal dollars « without any guardrails or parameters. » « If we got back in the room with some of their priorities, we could cut a deal, the president wants to do that, » Meadows said. « But I’m not optimistic. I think the speaker is going to hold out until the end of September and try to get what she wants in the funding for the government during the [continuing resolution] or whatever funding mechanism happens to come up at the end of September. » Drew Hammill, Pelosi’s spokesman, said Democrats « welcome the White House back to the negotiating table, but they must meet us halfway. » « Democrats have compromised in these negotiations, » Hammill said. « We offered to come down $1 trillion if the White House would come up $1 trillion.
