Mark Meadows, photo by Gage Skidmore.
On Wednesday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told reporters that "we're nowhere close to a deal" on the new round of coronavirus stimulus.
He acknowledged that this all but guarantees the expanded unemployment benefits will lapse on Friday, meaning millions of out-of-work Americans could take a financial hit.
Negotiations on a new round of stimulus has proven difficult. Democrats are balking at a deal that doesn't renew the $600 a week, which Republicans want to slash. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said he will block any bill that doesn't shield corporations from being sued for negligently spreading the virus.
