Administration Reaches Out to Democrats on Stimulus Bill – The New York Times

WASHINGTON — Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, spoke on Wednesday with Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California to discuss a coronavirus relief package, though the conversation appeared to do little to resolve the standoff between the White House and top congressional Democrats over another economic stimulus measure.

It was the first contact between the two sides since talks collapsed late last week, but there was little sign of progress. Democrats said Mr. Mnuchin would not agree to a package larger than $1 trillion and Mr. Mnuchin accused Democrats of insisting on a $2 trillion threshold for any agreement, according to statements released by both sides.

Ms. Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, who initially pushed for the $3.4 trillion measure House Democrats approved in May, have repeatedly said they would be willing to lower their overall price tag by $1 trillion, provided that the White House double the initial Republican offer of $1 trillion. Mr. Mnuchin, according to the two Democrats, was still “refusing to budge” from that level.

“It is clear that the administration still does not grasp the magnitude of the problems that American families are facing,” Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Schumer said in a joint statement. “We have again made clear to the administration that we are willing to resume negotiations once they start to take this process seriously.”

Mr. Mnuchin, in his own statement, said the account provided by the Democrats was “not an accurate reflection of our conversation.” Ms. Pelosi “made clear that she was unwilling to meet to continue negotiations unless we agreed in advance to her proposal, costing at least $2 trillion,” he said.

“The Democrats have no interest in negotiating,” he said, adding that the administration is willing to move forward with legislation that allows for substantial funding on a number of issues.

Weeks of near daily meetings in Ms. Pelosi’s Capitol suite failed to produce an agreement on the overall cost of a measure, let alone the policy mechanics needed to infuse the American economy with a trillion dollars or more of stimulus.

As talks sputtered in Washington, tens of millions of Americans have lost supplemental federal unemployment relief, a popular federal small-business loan program ended, a federal eviction moratorium expired and schools across the country are beginning the new education year without the promise of federal aid.

Over the weekend, President Trump sought to circumvent Congress and provide some semblance of relief with a series of executive actions, though the move has prompted confusion and criticism from some governors and questions about the president’s authority. White House officials have also explored whether Mr. Trump has the power to sidestep Congress and unilaterally cut a broad swath of taxes as he looks for ways to inject fuel into a slumping economy, according to a senior administration official.