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Pelosi Pushes Republicans for Quick Coronavirus Aid Deal

Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON - Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi pushed the White
   House and Senate Republicans to negotiate quickly Monday to renew
   expiring federal unemployment benefits for more than 16 million
   Americans who are out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic.

   As the administration of President Donald Trump and Senate leaders
   prepared to release a $1 trillion coronavirus aid package, Pelosi
   called for them to immediately come to her office in the U.S. Capitol
   to work out a deal with Democrats who want a $3 trillion spending plan
   to bolster the faltering U.S. economy.

   "Time is running out," Pelosi said. "If Republicans care about working
   families, this won't take long."

   But in fractious Washington, Republicans and Democrats are at odds over
   the continuing amount the federal government should pay unemployed
   workers, in addition to the less generous amounts they receive from
   state governments.

   The national government has paid millions of jobless workers an extra
   $600 a week for the last four months, but the stipend expires on
   Friday. The White House and Republicans want to cut two-thirds of the
   payments down to $200 a week, while Democrats are pushing to continue
   the current $600 figure through the end of 2020.

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