Talks for a second stimulus package on Capitol Hill appeared to have been making strides for the first time in months, but President Donald Trump’s recent positive coronavirus diagnosis could change that.
While pressure mounts to pass another round of relief before the upcoming November 3 election, and to assist the millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, Congressional leaders have recently expressed refreshingly optimistic outlooks on reaching a middle ground soon.
Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who have engaged in stimulus talks over the past week, expressed their enthusiasm for finding a solution, followed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on October 2, The New York Times reported.
“I’m trying to figure out here whether I should predict another bill quickly or not,” said McConnell at a Kentucky event, according to NYT. “But the talks have speeded up in the last couple of days. I think we’re closer to getting an outcome.”
But news of Trump’s positive results on October 1 has left many wondering how it could potentially implicate the proceedings moving forward. The president announced via Twitter that he and Melania would be quarantining together, but did not indicate for how long.
On October 3, Trump urged from the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center — where he is seeking medical treatment, including doses of the steroid drug, Dexamethasone — legislators to ‘get it done’ in reference to passing another package, tweeting:
“OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS. WORK TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE. Thank you!”
OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS. WORK TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE. Thank you!
Later that night, Trump said in a video that he is feeling “much better” and should “be back soon,” despite earlier conflicting and concerning reports from aides and doctors, according to The Washington Post.
Here’s what you need to know:
It is Still Too Early to Tell if or How Trump’s Diagnosis Could Impact Negotiations
GettyU.S. President Donald Trump poses with former communications director Hope Hicks.
At this point, only time will tell if stimulus talks could negatively be affected by the president’s health status, as well as the recent diagnoses of several aides and other officials close to him — including top aide, Hope Hicks, The Hill said.
“The situation could lead to a pause on the recent progress made,” AS English reported. “Although on the other hand, the rising case numbers among GOP leaders may also prompt negotiators to work faster to iron out a deal.”
Pelosi recently voiced her opinion that Trump’s diagnosis could sway Republicans who previously rejected Democrats’ $2.3 and $3.4 trillion stimulus proposals, which sought to funnel more money toward state and local aid in tackling the virus, AS English continued.
“This kind of changes the dynamic because here they see the reality of what we have been saying all along – this is a vicious virus,” Pelosi said, according to the outlet.
“We always have to find a path, that is our responsibility to do so, and I believe that we will,” she added.
Trump Would Have to Sign a Package Into Law
GettyU.S. President Donald Trump signs H.R. 748, the CARES Act in the Oval Office of the White House on March 27, 2020 in Washington, DC.
While Pelosi is expected to continue talks with Mnuchin over the weekend, House representatives up for reelection have returned to their districts to campaign. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer warned them to be on-call, though, should an agreement be reached before then, AS English said.
Trump would then need to finalize the bill by signing it into law — unless he becomes incapacitated. The responsibility would then fall on Vice President Mike Pence.
In the meantime, negotiators remain divided on certain sticking points, including extended unemployment benefits as well as the bill’s overall price tag. The White House recently proposed a $1.6 trillion counteroffer to Democrats’ $2.2 trillion updated HEREOS Act, Roll Call reported, but neither have appeared to move forward.
“We are expecting a response from the White House on these areas and others with more detail,” Pelosi wrote in an October 2 letter to House colleagues. “But it is unclear now how and when the response might come from the White House now that Trump is hospital.”
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