Coronavirus Stimulus: Congress Very Close To Package As Economy Struggles

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday predicted agreement between Democrats and Republicans on a $2 trillion coronavirus economic stimulus bill but warned Republicans against “poison pills” that could make the massive measure unpalatable.

Stocks rallied on the news, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing up more than 11%.

"The easiest way to do it is for us to put aside some of our concerns for another day, and get this done," she told CNBC.

“I think there is real optimism that we could get something done in the next few hours.” Pelosi said she was hoping the measure could be approved by unanimous consent so lawmakers, who have not been in Washington for a week, would not have to return to the Capitol.

"If it has poison pills in it — and they know certain things are poison pills — then they don't want unanimous consent, they just want an ideological statement," Pelosi said of Senate Republicans.

The comments came as the number of confirmed coronavirus infections in the U.S. topped 50,000 and the number of deaths marched toward 600 and as President Trump suggested during a FoxNews town hall he would lift guidelines that have kept Americans in their homes and forced businesses to close, saying he wants to get the economy going again by Easter Sunday.

Trump has been pushing Congress to act.

Pelosi has criticized Republicans for promoting too much aid to corporations and not enough for workers slammed by the pandemic.

“Things like a $500 billion slush fund [for ailing corporations] are really insulting,” she said, adding she was encouraged by the addition of oversight to monitor how the cash is distributed. Numerous industries are asking for help from the bill. The hotel industry has asked for $150 billion because of cancelled bookings while the coal industry has asked for permission to stop paying black lung victims. Even the private jet industry is asking for help.

Democrats unveiled a $2.5 trillion plan Monday that includes green initiatives to which Senate Republicans object. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told members of the Democratic caucus during a conference call two more rounds of fiscal stimulus could be expected.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer were meeting Tuesday to iron out the final details of the Senate bill after holding six meetings on Monday.

Schumer said the bill provides for four months of unemployment insurance at full salary and cash payments to taxpayers.

“There are lots of good things here,” Schumer said. “In the last few days, we have made huge progress in achieving these goals.”