Senate Republicans are reportedly unimpressed and frustrated by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin‘s negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a new coronavirus stimulus deal. According to The Washington Post, “Mnuchin continues to negotiate and make concessions, giving rise to the new round of complaints.” One Senator GOP aide told the Post that, “He [Mnuchin] negotiates harder with his own side than he does with her. Folks over here are sick of it.”
The talks, which have plodded on for more than 90 days, have seen the Democrats asking for higher investment in the stimulus deal, resulting in Mnuchin committing to a figure of roughly $1.9 trillion, which according to the Post is a number “much too high for many Senate Republicans to swallow.” Along with compromising on the trillion dollar deal, Mnuchin has also committed to at least $300 billion for state and local aid and diverting money Republicans wanted for farmers to food boxes.
Senate Republicans, the Post notes, have felt sidelined during the talks, accusing Mnuchin of capitulating to the Democrats, even as Trump has made it clear that he wants a deal before the election. Politico reported Tuesday that while discussions continue, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has been urging the White House not to reach an agreement with Pelosi before Election Day, worried it might interfere with (and possibly delay) the confirmation of Trump’s latest Supreme Court pick, Amy Coney Barrett.
A much smaller, $500 billion relief put forth by McConnell on Wednesday—one that did not include another round of $1,200 stimulus checks, which the president wants—died in the Senate. And while Pelosi has told reporters that she hopes to make a deal by the end of the week, it remains unlikely that Mnuchin will have the full backing of Republicans in Congress.
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