Pelosi sets a 48-hour deadline to reach an agreement on the coronavirus stimulus plan

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday negotiators have two days to reach an agreement on the upcoming coronavirus stimulus plan.
• Negotiators should come to an agreement within 48 hours to ensure that President Donald Trump can sign it ahead of the November election, which is weeks away.
• Negotiations remain stalled in Congress, as Republicans and Democrats continue to hammer out the details.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi gave a 48-hour deadline on Sunday that she said negotiators must meet to be able to strike a deal on the upcoming coronavirus stimulus package ahead of the November 3 election.

In an interview on ABC's "This Week," the California Democrat said the next two days will be crucial in terms of timing in order for the bill to be signed by President Donald Trump before the presidential election.

With just a little over two weeks to go until the election, the pressure is ramping up to produce a second round of stimulus checks to Americans and small businesses whose finances and economic outlooks were roiled by the coronavirus pandemic.

Over the past few weeks, the Trump administration has made an aggressive push to get out the next stimulus package before the election.

When asked Sunday whether Americans can expect to get a second round of relief within this timeframe, Pelosi said, "Well, that depends on the administration."

"I'm optimistic," she added.

—This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 18, 2020

The next stimulus package remains stalled in Congress, as Democrats and Republicans continue to hammer out the details of the plan. House Democrats passed a $2.2 trillion stimulus plan earlier this month, but Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the amount "outlandish" and said the two parties remain "very, very far apart on a deal."

The White House has also proposed its own $1.8 trillion plan, which includes $1,200 direct payments, a $400 weekly federal unemployment benefit, $300 billion in aid to state and local governments, and some funding for virus testing and contact tracing.

Lawmakers were quick to point out the plan's deficiencies, with Pelosi saying in a letter to House Democrats that the parameters for expanded nationwide testing and tracing program are not well-defined.

"The Administration continues to refuse to put a national testing, tracing and surveillance plan in place," said New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone in the letter. "[The Trump plan] would also needlessly delay funding to states by requiring states to jump through legislative hoops that are simply unnecessary. It does nothing to address the barriers and needs of communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19."