Pelosi calls for stimulus: 'Amazing to see the patience the GOP has for other people's suffering'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other Senate Republicans to pass more stimulus spending during the coronavirus pandemic, arguing that the GOP has "patience" for "other people's suffering."

"Over 6 months ago when we passed the HEROES Act, Leader McConnell said we need a pause. We need a pause. Well, I would hope that for him the pause can come to an end," Pelosi said during a news conference. "We're asking him to come back to the table."

Pelosi described a dire economic situation in the U.S. during the pandemic and said additional stimulus spending is needed.

"We are in a full-blown economic and health catastrophe and it's amazing to see the patience the GOP has for other people's suffering," she said. "Let's hope that it's time for McConnell's pause to end."

The Democratic-led House passed the $3.3 trillion HEROES Act in May and then passed an updated $2.2 trillion version in October. Many Senate Republicans oppose the $436 billion in federal funding for states and local governments in the bill as well as the funding for stimulus payments to illegal immigrants who filed tax returns with tax identification numbers. 

The GOP-led Senate voted on a smaller-scale $500 billion package on Oct. 21 but it was blocked by Democrats. 

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has called on McConnell to pass the updated HEROES bill. 

Schumer said on Thursday that McConnell would continue negotiating on stimulus. 

“Last night, they’ve agreed to sit down, and the staffs are going to sit down today or tomorrow to try to begin to see if we can get a real good COVID relief bill,” he said.