House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made progress in US stimulus negotiations with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, her aide said on Monday. While the Democrats are pushing for a $2.2 trillion to help the coronavirus-ravaged economy, President Donald Trump’s administration has proposed a $1.8 trillion rescue measure, AFP reported. 

However, Trump has signaled he could go bigger.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Republican, said on Monday the chamber will vote on a more narrow, $500 billion measure to support small businesses, AFP reported. 

“Nobody thinks this proposal would resolve every problem forever,” McConnell said.

“What it does contain is half a trillion dollars… of good that Congress can do right now,” he added.

Also read: ‘One last rescue package’ unlikely before presidential elections, says US Senate leader

Democrats blocked such a bill last month, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the latest bill “remains unacceptable now, even more so that the crisis has gotten even worse.”

Pelosi speaks with Mnuchin

On Monday, Pelosi and Mnuchin spoke for approximately 53 minutes, in which they “continued to narrow their differences,” Pelosi’s aide Drew Hammill tweeted. 

“The Speaker continues to hope that, by the end of the day Tuesday, we will have clarity on whether we will be able to pass a bill before the election. The two principals will speak again tomorrow and staff work will continue around the clock,” Hammill said.

Since business shutdowns began in March, the United States has seen tens of millions of job losses as well as a historic contraction in second-quarter annualized GDP.

The $2.2 trillion CARES Act stimulus package gave extra money to the unemployed and loans and grants to small businesses, however, those provisions expired months ago.