McConnell and Pelosi seek funding deal as closing deadline approaches

Staff from all four of the top Congressional leaders met Thursday to discuss government funding amid signs of progress towards a spending deal.

A senior Democratic aide confirmed to The Hill that the House Speaker’s staff Nancy PelosiNancy PelosiOn The Money: 12 million to lose federal unemployment benefits after Christmas | Warren urges Biden to cancel student debt | Actions Close With Losses As States, Cities Reimpose COVID-19 Restrictions Trump Cyber ​​Shots Sparks Outrage Overnight Healthcare: US Spends 250K COVID Dead | Pfizer says vaccine shows 95% effectiveness | Coronavirus relief at a standstill LEARN MORE (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch mcconnellAddison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellOn The Money: 12 million people will lose federal unemployment benefits after Christmas | Warren urges Biden to cancel student debt | Shares close with losses as states and cities reimpose COVID-19 restrictions Hillicon Valley: Trump fires top federal cybersecurity official, GOP senators push back | Apple will pay 3 million to solve the fight against batteries | Los Angeles Police prohibit the use of third-party facial recognition software. Pfizer says vaccine shows 95% effectiveness | Coronavirus relief at a standstill LEARN MORE (R-Ky.), Democratic Leader in the Senate Charles SchumerChuck SchumerBiden Congratulates Pelosi on Presidential Appointment Senate Democrats Introduce Bill to Boost PPE Supply Organizations Push Congressional Leaders to Prioritize Tech Antitrust Report READ MORE (NY) and House Minority Leader Kevin mccarthyKevin Owen McCarthyCheney seeks to ease tensions with House Tories Hunter Biden problem won’t go away GOP sees path to House majority in 2022 MORE (R-Calif.) Met Thursday.

The meeting comes as Congress has until December 11 to fund the government and avoid a vacation stoppage reminiscent of 2018, when it closed for 35 days.

Chief of Staff of the White House Mark MeadowsMark Randall MeadowsMeadows Meets Senate GOP to Discuss Year-End Priorities GOP Breaks With Trump’s Dismissal Of Cyber ​​Leader: Adds To ‘Confusion And Chaos’ House Launches New COVID Testing Program 19 MORE, who visited the Capitol on Wednesday, did not rule out a stop, fueling speculation about whether President TrumpDonald John Trump Manufacturers Association Calls on GSA to Begin Transition Process Biden Votes Close to 80 Million Brent Budowsky Wins The Hill 2020 Election Prediction Contest would be ready to sign a gigantic financing deal when he comes out of power. He previously denounced omnibus bills, vowing “never to sign another bill like this again.”

But McConnell and the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee Richard shelbyRichard Craig Shelby Coronavirus Relief Stalled Without Leadership Talks The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by United Arab Emirates Embassy in Washington, DC – Democrats Push McConnell on COVID-19 Relief; Grassley Closes COVID-19 Contract McConnell Wants Fiscal 2021 Spending Agreement This Week READ MORE (R-Ala.) Reported that they believe the White House is in favor of an omnibus spending bill – which would include all 12 bills in fiscal year 2021 and fund the government until September 30, 2021 – instead of a continuing resolution (CR) that would continue funding levels from fiscal year 2020 to early next year.

“It’s our hope … that we can get together on an omnibus and pass it,” McConnell told reporters after Meadows joined Republicans for a closed-door lunch, adding that he believed it was was also the “preference of the White House”.

Shelby also met Meadows this week and spoke with Rep. Nita LoweyNita Sue LoweyDeLauro Accumulates Worker Approvals For Hammerhead Credit Six People Whose Election Made History Democrats Plan To Retain House Majority MORE (DN.Y.), who chairs the House Appropriations Committee.

“We got where we’re at to try to put the omnibus in place and we talked about some parameters between us and the House,” Shelby said of his interview with Meadows. “I found our meeting very positive.”

Lawmakers and the White House are discussing a $ 1.4 trillion bill that would fund the government until October 1, 2021, which marks the start of fiscal 2022.

Shelby said the border wall, a top priority for the president, came to light during his conversation with Meadows, but only in general terms.

“I mentioned what we had in the bill … so in that regard, these aren’t huge new initiatives,” Shelby said.

Senate Republicans put $ 2 billion for the border wall in their bill, and Shelby added Wednesday that “I think that’s what we’re talking about right now.”

McConnell said he wanted a deal on the highest numbers for the 12 fundraising bills, which would be included in an omnibus, by this week, although Shelby has indicated he wants to return from the hiatus. Thanksgiving with a deal.

Once lawmakers return on November 30, they will have about 10 working days before the scheduled departure from the House until January.

“We have time,” Shelby warned. “But we have to move.”

Negotiations on how to fund the government are separate from stalled talks on a fifth coronavirus relief bill, although some Republicans have hinted they could be merged.

Leaders on both sides revealed this week that there had been no private conversations between Congressional Democrats and McConnell over a fifth coronavirus relief bill even as cases climb through the country and that some cities and states are reimposing restrictions in an attempt to curb the spread.

Two Democratic assistants told The Hill that relief from the coronavirus was discussed at Thursday’s meeting. Republicans, however, rebuffed allegations it was discussed, with a House GOP executive assistant saying “staff do the usual year-end assessment of expiring arrangements that we do each year.” “

“For the first time, we’ve had productive conversations in quite some time, as Chief McConnell has now said he is going to sit down and talk,” Schumer told reporters in New York of relief from the coronavirus.

—Updated at 4:54 p.m.