SPEAKER Nancy Pelosi has said Democrats will not budge on the coronavirus stimulus package unless Republicans offer $2trillion.
addressed reporters on Thursday, saying she and Senate Minority Leader have attempted to negotiate with and Treasury Secretary - but neither are willing to double their $1trillion original offer.
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"We’re not inching away from their meager piecemeal proposal. The press says, why can’t you come to an agreement? Because we are miles apart in our values," the speaker told reporters who asked why Democrats weren't coming down from their proposed $2trillion HEROES Act.
Pelosi said she was surprised to hear hours earlier, saying the second round of $1,200 checks was stalled due to unwillingness to agree to the Republicans' proposed $1trillion plan.
"They called yesterday, the Secretary, and said would you like to sit down and we said what we said all along: we come down a trillion, you come up a trillion," Pelosi said, referencing the current Democratic package.
"But we're not sitting down at the table to validate what you have proposed because it does not meet the needs of the American people," she said.
"And we will not contribute to your waving a partial benefit to the public at the expense of everything else we want to do and to the benefit of the high end."
Pelosi said Americans can as soon as next week should a deal be struck by Friday.
"We have said to them, we are ready to compromise. We know our first offer is not something they would not necessarily accept because frankly, we do not share values," Pelosi said during a briefing.
"So we can't wait until September 30. I know some have said well people will die. Well, 77,000 have died since this bill. So we've said to them, we're here, come to two trillion, let's sit down and divide how we would spend that," she said.
"But as a practical matter, where do we find common ground? So Leader Schumer and I said we'll come down a trillion if you come up a trillion. We'll meet you halfway," she continued.
When asked if Americans can wait for negotiations, Pelosi responded that the HEROES Act was proposed more than three months ago.
"Well first of all let me just say we passed the bill over 90 days ago. It took them until two weeks to come back with a meager piecemeal bill that they put forth."
"They said 'oh yall work better up against a deadline.' No, the virus doesn't have a deadline and nor does it take a pause," the said, putting on a slight southern accent in imitation of Senate Majority Leader .
"The American people don't want this uncertainty and you're always there to give certainty to the markets, let's give some certainty to America's working families."
"They called yesterday and said do you have more money-- the needs of the American people are not changing," she said, referencing Republicans' call for negotiations.
"They're only getting more so, they're not lessening."
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Pelosi continued railing on Republicans, telling reporters: "Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gave a damn."
"Unless they see the reality of what it means in the lives of the American people, what good is it for us to agree to something that has no relationship to meeting the demands of the American people?"
When asked when she would be speaking with Mnuchin next, Pelosi responded: "I don't know, when they come in with $2trillion."
As she was departing, a reporter asked the speaker if a package below $2trillion would be passed. She did not respond.