Virus aid: Where things stand in high-level Washington talks

WASHINGTON (AP) — After more than a week’s worth of meetings, at least some clarity is emerging in the bipartisan Washington talks on a huge COVID-19 response bill.

An exchange of offers Tuesday and a meeting devoted to the U.S. Postal Service on Wednesday indicates a long slog remains, but the White House is offering some movement in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s direction on aid to states and local governments and unemployment insurance benefits. Multiple issues remain, but some areas of likely agreement are coming into focus.

Here's a look where things stand based on public and private statements by key players and their staff:

JOBLESS BENEFITS

Pelosi is staking out a hard line on extending a $600-per-week supplemental pandemic federal jobless benefit, which lapsed last week. Republicans offered to extend the benefit into December and cut it to $400, according to aides confirming leaks reported in Politico. The aides were unauthorized to discuss the private talks and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The unemployment insurance issue is perhaps the most important to resolve, but some Senate Republicans up for reelection this fall appear comfortable with yielding on the question.

AID TO STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

Similarly, the White House has offered Democrats $150 billion in new appropriations to help state and local governments alleviate revenue losses from the damage the coronavirus has wrought on the economy. That matches the amount appropriated after a huge behind-the-scenes battle during negotiations on the bipartisan $2 trillion coronavirus bill that passed in March. Much of that original money is left over, and all sides want greater flexibility in using it, but Pelosi is demanding far more — almost $1 trillion — and key...