Pelosi 'absolutely' willing to delay August recess for Covid aid package negotiations

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she's willing to delay or scrap House lawmakers' summer break to negotiate additional economic relief for Americans suffering from the coronavirus pandemic.

Posted 3:35 p.m. Jul 14, 2020 — Updated 3:35 p.m. Jul 14, 2020

Veronica Stracqualursi

, CNN

CNN — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday she's willing to delay or scrap House lawmakers' summer break to negotiate additional economic relief for Americans suffering from the coronavirus pandemic.

Asked on CNN's "Newsroom" if she would forgo or delay August recess in order to reach a deal to extend benefits, Pelosi replied, "Oh we absolutely have to. We also have to come to an agreement."

"The timetable is the timetable of the American people needing their unemployment insurance, their direct payments, their assistance for rent and mortgage...forbearance," the Democratic leader told CNN's Jim Sciutto. "We need it for states and localities to be able to pay their employees who are meeting the needs of their constituents."

She called for the passage of the HEROES Act and for President Donald Trump to use the Defense Production Act to produce protective gear and testing supplies.

This story is breaking and will be updated.

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