PHILO PHOTO: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) talks about stagnant congressional talks with the Trump administration over the latest coronavirus relief during its weekly news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, USA, August 13, 2020. REUTERS / Sarah Silbiger
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that Democrats in Congress are ready to cut their coronavirus relief bill in half to reach an agreement on new legislation with the White House and Republicans.
“We must try to reach that agreement now,” Pelosi said in an online interview with Politico. “We are ready to cut our bills in half to meet current needs. We will record it again in January. We will see them again in January. But for now, we can cut the bill in half. ”
But her comments did not signal a new position for Democrats, according to a senior aide.
The Democratic-led House passed legislation in May with more than $ 3 trillion in relief. This month, Democrats offered to reduce that sum by $ 1 trillion, but the White House rejected it.
Both sides remain about $ trillion apart, with wide gaps in funding for schools, support for state and local governments, and improved unemployment benefits.
Report by David Morgan; Edited by Chris Reese and Chizu Nomiyama
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