Pelosi Optimistic on Virus Deal After Trump Concedes Oversight

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she’s optimistic that Congress will reach a deal on a massive stimulus measure to fight economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak, after the Trump administration agreed to independent oversight of a fund to support companies.

“Everybody knows the overarching view is we have to get this done,” Pelosi said in a CNBC interview.

She said that it appears the Senate had agreed to accept language in a House version of the bill that would create both an independent inspector general and a congressionally appointed five-person panel to supervise money the bill provides to companies. Two people familiar with the matter said the administration had agreed to oversight of the fund for companies, but said details remained to be resolved.

Trump had dismisssed the need for independent oversight at a White House news conference Monday evening.

“Look, I’ll be the oversight. I’ll be the oversight,” he said at the time. “We’re going to make good deals. We make good deals. But these companies need it.”

Pelosi says she hopes to have an agreement within hours that can pass the House by unanimous consent, without the need to bring lawmakers back to Washington to vote.