GOP Senator McConnell sets Wednesday vote for $500B COVID relief bill

President Trump called for an even higher number, but McConnell brushed off the president’s demands to try to instead push for a smaller, more immediate bill.

Negotiations remain ongoing between the White House and Pelosi, who is set to again speak to Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin Saturday night.

“Republicans have tried numerous times to secure bipartisan agreement,” McConnell continued. “But Speaker Pelosi keeps saying she feels ‘nothing’ is better than ‘something’ and clinging to far-left demands that are designed to kill any hope of a deal.”

McConnell said the bill was not designed to be a cure-all for pandemic relief. “It would deliver huge amounts of additional help to workers and families right now while Washington keeps arguing over the rest.”

Senate Republicans unveiled a $1.1 trillion relief package in July, but McConnell warned that up to 20 GOP senators could oppose it if it came for a vote.

A $500B bill in September was supported by 52 of 53 Republicans before it was blocked by Democrats.

Meanwhile, Trump and Pelosi have not personally spoken in over a year. When asked if he would call up Pelosi to work through negotiations on relief, Trump said he wouldn’t because the Speaker has “a lot of mental problems.

Pelosi also defended her decision to avoid the president, saying of speaking with him: “I don’t find it a good use of time.”

“Well, I’ve spoken to his representatives and he says that they speak for him. And I take that to be true about the secretary of the Treasury and we have worked together,” Pelosi said, noting previous coronavirus deals.