Nancy Pelosi says progress is being made on more US stimulus and tells airlines 'don't fire people'

• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told CBS News on Sunday that lawmakers were "making progress" on a new coronavirus relief bill and said US airlines should hold off on job cuts.
• "Don't fire people," Pelosi told airline executives. "You know that relief is on the way."
• The Democrat said airline workers faced a tougher battle than employees in other industries because it took them longer to be recertified after losing a job.
• Her comments came after President Donald Trump tweeted about the economy from Walter Reed National Military Center on Saturday, pushing for the passage of a spending package plan that has been stalled for months.
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday said progress was being made on the government's next coronavirus relief package, and she told executives in the US airline industry to hold off on job cuts.

"We're making progress," Pelosi told CBS News, adding that she hoped Republicans would "agree on what we need to do to crush the virus."

The California Democrat also noted that she issued a public statement to airline executives, asking them to hold off on job cuts while describing an agreement for relief as imminent.

"Don't fire people," Pelosi told the airlines. "You know that relief is on the way."

She said that when workers in the airline industry were fired, unlike other industries, it could take months, or years, for them to be recertified for security clearance.

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In her statement to airlines, issued Friday, Pelosi said Congress would either pass Rep. Peter DeFazio's stand-alone legislation assisting airlines or secure relief as part of a broader negotiated bill. She said either course of action would extend the Payroll Support Program by another six months.

The federal Payroll Support Program passed by Congress and signed into law in March expired Thursday.

Airlines including American and United said they would begin furloughing tens of thousands of employees as Congress failed to reach a deal last week on a COVID-19 relief bill.

Pelosi's comments came after President Donald Trump provided an update on his health from Walter Reed National Military Center on Saturday. He also tweeted about the economy, calling for both chambers of Congress to pass a spending package that has been stalled for months.

"OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS," he said in the tweet. "WORK TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE. Thank you!"

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