Pelosi, Mnuchin reach agreement on Democrats' language for national COVID testing plan
A Treasury Department official familiar with the matter told FOX Business that the language of the plan will be shared on Friday.
Fox Business has learned that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have reached an agreement on Democrats' language for a national strategic testing plan for the coronavirus with "minor" edits.
A Treasury Department official familiar with the matter said that the language of the plan will be shared on Friday.
TRUMP SAYS HE WOULD RAISE CORONAVIRUS STIMULUS DEAL OFFER TO ABOVE $1.8T
In addition, the source said that the pair continued to negotiate on a new stimulus package and that staff for Mnuchin and Pelosi will exchange language on several areas for review.
Pelosi's Deputy Chief of Staff, Drew Hamill, confirmed the news in a Twitter thread, saying she "looks forward to reviewing" the updated language for the testing plan. He also noted that Mnuchin indicated that President Trump would weigh in with Senate Majority Leader McConnell should an agreement on a stimulus package be reached.
"Staff will be exchanging language on several areas which the Speaker and the committees of jurisdiction will review," he added.
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Pelosi had previously rejected a $1.8 trillion proposal by the White House, arguing that it did not go as far as the $2.2 trillion relief bill passed in the House last month.
McConnell said Tuesday the Senate would vote on a "targeted" coronavirus relief bill next week, including another round of funding for a key small-business rescue program, money for schools, liability protections for businesses and boosted unemployment benefits.
On Thursday, however, President Trump reiterated to FOX Business' Stuart Varney he is willing to raise his offer for a relief package above the White House's current $1.8 trillion proposal.
"I would," he said. "Absolutely, I would. I would say more. I would go higher. Go big or go home, I said it yesterday."
Trump argued that Pelosi "doesn’t want to give anything."
"She thinks it helps her with the election,” the president continued. “And I don’t think so. I think it hurts her with the election because everyone knows she’s holding it up. We’re not holding it up. She’s holding it up.”
The agreement on testing and update on stimulus negotiations comes amid more than 7.9 million confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States and more than 217,000 related deaths, according to the latest update by Johns Hopkins University.