New COVID-19 Stimulus Negotiations To Continue

Negotiations are set to continue on Monday between the White House and top Democrats on a new COVID-19 relief bill but it could be a while before a decision is reached.

The White House and top Democrats are at odds over what to include in a new relief bill. The two sides held meetings on over the weekend... but said they're not close to an agreement. The White House wants to see another round of $1,200 stimulus payments and extend the supplemental jobless benefit and partial eviction ban but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants money for state and local governments, unemployment benefits, and food aid.

Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin says funding for state and local governments is a controversial issue between the two sides. He says Democrats are insisting on more than a trillion dollars to state and local governments something he says Republicans aren't going to do.

Despite their differences, Secretary Mnuchin says both sides do agree on other issues like an extension of unemployment insurance the Paycheck Protection Program and jobs. Speaker Pelosi says she doesn't want a short-term fix. She says that many of her colleagues want to see a package that lasts through September or June of next year but she wants to make it through the appropriations process in January.