After weeks of stalemate between Democrats and Trump administration officials trying to put together the next stimulus package, further negotiations to implement Stimulus Check 2 may be at hand

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, who has been representing the White House in the negotiations along with Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, said Tuesday (September 1) that he is prepared to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R-Calif) and that he is willing to meet with the Democrats' current $22 trillion proposal as soon as possible He suggested that he intends to move closer to the Democrats' current $22 trillion proposal

According to the Wall Street Journal, at a hearing of the House Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis, Mnuchin suggested increasing spending in the stimulus bill to $15 trillion

He also acknowledged that all currently agree on the need for federal unemployment benefits and an additional stimulus check2 He and President Pelosi spoke by phone after the hearing

The White House "made a deal to get the deal done concessions," Mnuchin said

"Whether it's a trillion or a trillion and a half, let's not get hung up on the numbers [But Pelosi was not so hopeful after the phone call, according to CNN

"Sadly, the call revealed that Democrats and the White House continue to have serious differences in understanding the seriousness of the situation facing America's working families," she said

The last contact between the Democrats and the White House was last week, when Pelosi and Meadows spoke by phone No progress has been made since then

Both the House and Senate have put together formal proposals for additional stimulus measures

The House passed the $3 trillion HEROES Act in May It would send $1,200 checks and expanded dependent care benefits to individuals and families who qualify for assistance under the CARES Act passed in March

The Republican leadership in the Senate has proposed its own $1 trillion stimulus package called the HEALS Act

However, the Senate has not voted on the package, and it is not certain whether it will pass, as some budget-minded Republican senators reportedly believe it is too expensive Normally, 60 out of 100 votes are needed to pass the Senate

In the latest round of talks in mid-August, Pelosi indicated that she would be willing to cut the package to $22 trillion, but the White House said $12 trillion was the top line Earlier this week, the White House raised this to $13 trillion In other words, Mnuchin's $15 trillion figure may be an important breakthrough

Meanwhile, groups in both houses have proposed "skinny" bills that would provide fewer benefits for less money Neither proposal, paradoxically, provides the stimulus package2 that both sides agree is a priority

Pelosi and her Senate compatriot, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), are seeking a comprehensive bill similar to the HEROES Act Neither supports the House skinny bill

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who had been adamant about the HEALS bill, appeared to suddenly support the Senate skinny bill in a conference call with Mnuchin, Meadows, and other Senate Republicans on Tuesday

Both skinny bills seem almost symbolic, perhaps more to win votes in the November general election than to provide meaningful relief to Americans