WASHINGTON — The House barreled toward a vote on Friday on a sweeping relief package to assist people impacted by the outbreak of the coronavirus, but after days of intensive negotiations, it remained unclear whether President Trump would agree to the measure, leaving its fate up in the air.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California announced the House would go forward later in the day with its scheduled vote on the bill, but before she spoke Friday, another senior Democratic leader said there was still no agreement with the White House.
Ms. Pelosi’s announcement left room for the possibility that a compromise could emerge after days of marathon negotiating by phone between her and Steven Mnuchin, the treasury secretary. But if not, the move effectively dares House Republicans to vote against the Democratic package — which includes a sweeping new paid sick leave program, enhanced unemployment benefits, free virus testing and additional funds for food assistance and Medicaid — and risk being blamed for opposing needed aid.
Republicans have derided the proposal as an expensive and ineffective overreach, and were objecting in particular to providing paid sick leave to people who stay home from work during the outbreak, as public health officials have advised.
“The American people expect and deserve a coordinated, science-based and whole-of-government response to keep them and their loved ones safe — a response that puts families first to stimulate the economy,” Ms. Pelosi said in a formal statement delivered from the speaker’s balcony in the Capitol.
Since Democrats first introduced the legislation on Wednesday, an intense round of talks has unfolded between Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Mnuchin, as financial markets swung wildly amid uncertainty about the rapidly spreading virus. Staff worked through the night on Thursday to negotiate, and the two traded phone calls throughout the day on Friday to try to cement it.
In a letter to colleagues, Representative Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the No. 2 Democrat, said the past 48 hours had been “frustrating,” and that Ms. Pelosi “has literally been working around the clock to achieve a bipartisan agreement.” Mr. Hoyer said those efforts continued, but a vote would be held whether or not there was a compromise.
The stimulus measure being negotiated omits Mr. Trump’s top priority, a huge payroll tax cut opposed by members of both parties. Representatives Kevin McCarthy, the minority leader, and Devin Nunes, both California Republicans who are close to Mr. Trump, huddled with the president privately at the White House on Friday discussing how to proceed.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Catie Edmondson, Nicholas Fandos and Sheryl Gay Stolberg contributed reporting.