On Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) said she spoke to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin over the phone, but the pair failed to bridge a chasm between their proposals for more coronavirus relief. Speaker Pelosi said in a statement after the 36-minute conversation that, “Sadly, this phone call made clear that Democrats and the White House continue to have serious differences understanding the gravity of the situation that America’s working families are facing.” Speaker Pelosi indicated the sides stand far apart on the price tag for a fifth package designed to alleviate economic and health-care crises fueled by the pandemic. House Democrats first proposed more than $3 trillion in spending, but later said they would accept a $2.2 trillion bill. The Trump Administration has not gone higher than roughly $1.3 trillion. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are drafting a “skinny” relief package that is expected to cost less than the measure they proposed in July. It is expected to include a weekly $300 boost in federal unemployment benefits until the end of December, liability protections, another round of payments for the Paycheck Protection Program, and $105 billion for education. The lower price tag on the "skinny" bill could win over some Republican members of the U.S. Senate who were wary of the GOP's $1 trillion July plan. Senate Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) said they are considering a vote on the legislation next week after the Senate returns from its August recess. Democrats have already rejected taking a “piecemeal” approach to coronavirus relief, and it’s highly unlikely they will support the new proposal.
