Pelosi: ‘We’re making progress’ on coronavirus relief bill

Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Sunday lawmakers are “making progress” on another coronavirus relief bill after months of stalled negotiations.

CBS’s Margaret Brennan asked Pelosi if President Trump’s tweet on Friday that Americans “need stimulus” means lawmakers and administration officials have come to an agreement. 

“No, it means that we want to see that they will agree on what we need to do to crush the virus so we can open the economy and open our schools safely,” Pelosi responded on “Face the Nation.” 

Pressed on whether lawmakers are any closer, Pelosi said “we’re making progress.” 

House Democrats last Thursday approved a $2.2 trillion coronavirus relief package. Every Republican voted against the bill, saying the spending levels were too high. It was also opposed by Senate Republicans and the White House. 

On Friday, a stand-alone bill that would give relief to airlines was blocked on the House floor. 

“We tried to get that done in the House, but the Republicans objected,” Pelosi said Sunday, referring to the airline relief bill. 

“What I said to the airline executives in a public statement is. ‘Don’t fire people, you know that relief is on the way and it will be retroactive so let’s keep them employed,’ ” she added. 

“Could that come this week?” Brennan asked. 

“It just depends on if they understand what we have to do to crush the virus,” Pelosi responded. “You can’t just say we need to do something, but we’re going to let the virus run free.”

The push to pass coronavirus relief legislation comes as Trump and several Republican lawmakers have tested positive for the coronavirus. 

Trump remains at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he is being treated.