While there may still be hope for a stimulus check2 as talks between Democrats and the Trump administration continue, a top House Democrat warned that an agreement is unlikely to be reached before November 3

House Majority Leader James Clyburn (R-South Carolina), the third-ranking member of his party, said Wednesday (October 21) that he expects the bill to be considered "within one to two weeks" after the election

This skepticism follows the failure to meet the Tuesday night deadline set by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to reach an agreement with the White House [The] election is less than two weeks away, and I believe I can go back to Washington in a week or two after the election and do something there," Clyburn said during an appearance on CNN 'At least the election will be over At least the election is over

Pelosi had previously said that she and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who represents the White House, needed to reach an agreement two weeks before Election Day to ensure a vote before November 3 She is still talking with Mnuchin and may be close to an agreement, according to reports [Indeed, Pelosi suggested Wednesday that the goal is to finalize legislation before the election

"I'm optimistic that we will have a bill," she said in an interview with MSNBC The question is whether it will be in time to meet my goal of paying my rent in November, or whether it will be retroactive shortly thereafter"

Economists, however, are skeptical of the possibility of a last-minute agreement, and Goldman Sachs on Wednesday cautioned its clients that "I don't think an agreement is particularly close"

Meanwhile, Senate Democrats on Wednesday blocked a second attempt by Republicans to pass a "skinny" stimulus package The bill, which originally had little chance of passage, failed to garner the 60 votes needed for passage

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) has long resisted considering what has emerged from Pelosi and Mnuchin's talks, even as President Donald Trump continues to raise the amount he spends

McConnell indicated earlier this week that he intended to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, but said privately on Tuesday (October 20) that he had warned the White House not to deal with House Democrats before Election Day 21]

Publicly, McConnell told reporters on Tuesday that "if a presidential-backed bill eventually passes the House, we will bring it to the floor"

McConnell also said that he would not be willing to vote on the bill if it passed the House

However, McConnell did not say whether he would immediately vote on any bill that happened to pass the House by November 3