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Meadows Says Trump Administration Open to Piecemeal Approach to COVID-19
Relief Legislation

VOA News

   '¯White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday it is unlikely
   Congress and the Trump administration can reach an agreement on a
   comprehensive package of COVID-19 relief legislation.

   "We're still willing to be engaged, but I'm not optimistic for a
   comprehensive deal," Meadows said in a Fox News interview. "I am
   optimistic that there's about 10 things that we can do on a piecemeal
   basis."

   Meadows said the administration prefers a piecemeal approach even as he
   said the talks had ended one day after President Trump had halted
   negotiations until after the November 3 election.

   Meadows did not specify the items the administration prefers, but he
   repeated Trump's Tuesday night tweet that he would support separate
   pieces of legislation to aid America's airlines and small businesses as
   well as provide stimulus checks to individuals.

   Meadows said Tuesday the administration and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi
   agree on "about 10 things" the administration is "willing to look at"
   if Pelosi is willing to consider them on a "piece-by-piece basis."

   Pelosi has expressed a preference for grouping together coronavirus
   response efforts rather than tackling them with individual legislation.
   Pelosi said Tuesday the House would approve more aid legislation,
   despite Trump's refusal to negotiate.

   The Democratic-led House previously approved a comprehensive package of
   legislation that would provide a range of relief measures as the
   coronavirus continues to spread throughout the U.S., infecting more
   than 7.5 million Americans and killing some 211,000, the highest in the
   world.

   Trump said Tuesday the Democratic proposals were not acceptable, and
   that he was directing administration officials to halt talks until
   after next month's election.

   Trump's statements came in a series of tweets, including one later in
   which he proposed approving several individual relief provisions
   instead of a larger collection of measures like the government has done
   several times this year.

   "If I am sent a Stand Alone Bill for Stimulus Checks ($1,200), they
   will go out to our great people IMMEDIATELY. I am ready to sign right
   now. Are you listening Nancy?" Trump wrote.

   Trump also said he would give quick approval to bills providing
   billions of dollars to airlines and small businesses.

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