Pelosi, Now Willing to make a Deal, Claims COVID-19 Aid Will Be Done By Christmas

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday vowed that Congress would not leave for the Christmas holidays without reaching a deal on coronavirus relief following months of gridlock led by Democrats.

At her weekly press conference, Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters she had spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) by phone Thursday about a potential deal and said negotiations between Democrats and the GOP were progressing.

“We’re making progress,” Pelosi said. “We’ll take the time we need and we must get it done,” she went on. “We cannot leave without it.”

A $908 billion bipartisan stimulus proposal unveiled Monday by lawmakers frustrated by a lack of action received a stamp of approval from Pelosi, who said it will serve as the framework for negotiations.

The measure includes a $300-per-week federal unemployment supplement — down from $600 a week before it expired — and would add $288 billion in new small-business Paycheck Protection Program forgivable loans.

It’s expected that the next wave of aid will be tacked onto a larger spending bill before the Dec. 11 deadline to avoid a partial government shutdown.

“We hope it will take us very close to something we can put in the omnibus,” she said.

Sources: NY Post; Image: Politico