The White House on Sunday reportedly refused to back down from its demand that a coronavirus relief package include $500 billion, which would be provided to corporations at the discretion of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin.

PBS News Hour correspondent Meredith Lee reported on Sunday that the White House was standing firm on the proposal after some Democrats called it a “slush fund.”

A Democratic source told Igor Bobic that the bill would permit the Treasury secretary to withhold the names of corporate recipients for up to six months.

“Millions may now lose their jobs,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren wrote on Twitter. “And Trump wants our response to be a half-trillion dollar slush fund to boost favored companies and corporate executives – while they continue to pull down huge paychecks and fire their workers.”

Read some of the tweets below.

From a senior WH official on phase 3 stimulus plan:

-WH *is not* willing to reduce amt of $ for corporate loans (up to$500B in current bill, Dems have criticized as "corporate slush fund")

-working w/ Senate Dems to "refine ideas,"push ahead w/ McConnell's bill for 3pm cloture

— Meredith Lee (@meredithllee) March 22, 2020

Any rescue fund should be administered by an independent body, not by the Treasury Secretary of the most incompetent and corrupt administration in US history.

President Trump has already taken millions from the Treasury. Not a dollar more without total financial disclosure

— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 22, 2020

We have to be very careful about federal govt taking extraordinary power for means other than the pandemic. Justice Dept. looking to take over the judicial system. Treasury asking for a slush fund to help companies at their discretion. Watch them closely now.

— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) March 22, 2020

No slush fund for Mnuchin! Last time he made decisions without congressional oversight we got Suicide Squad! https://t.co/oqTR0eLExI

— Jon Lovett (@jonlovett) March 22, 2020

per a Dem source, a provision of the $500B bailout fund proposed by GOP would allow Mnuchin to delay making public for up to 6 months “names of applicable eligible businesses, States, and municipalities and the amounts of individual loans or loan guarantees”

— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) March 22, 2020

Republicans should be smart here and recognize that it’s in their interests to do a good bill and not just a slush fund for Trump to give it to whoever bribes him the most.

— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) March 22, 2020

Millions may now lose their jobs. And Trump wants our response to be a half-trillion dollar slush fund to boost favored companies and corporate executives – while they continue to pull down huge paychecks and fire their workers. Here’s what I know and how we stop it:

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 22, 2020

I will vote against a giant slush fund that protects favored corporations and executive paychecks with no meaningful protections for workers. If this isn’t fixed, all Democrats should all stand together and vote no. We maintain our negotiating power when we unite together.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 22, 2020

Massive slush fund for corporations while failing to help hospitals Hospital or provide paid leave for workers would be a disaster not a relief bill. No. Just no. https://t.co/kngzFGUui4

— Ilya Sheyman (@iSheyman) March 22, 2020

Everything that has happened for the last 3 yearsd shows that Trump would use a corporate slush fund to reward his friends and punish his enemies. There will be no oversight or transparency because the Treasury Department will defy subpoenas for documents and witnesses.

— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) March 22, 2020

Enjoy good journalism?

… then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has cut advertising rates in half, and we need your help. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support in this difficult time. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

Value Raw Story?

… then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has cut advertising rates in half, and we need your help. Like you, we believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.