(Bloomberg) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have dug into their opposing stances on pandemic relief, effectively killing off chances for a pre-election stimulus for the economy.

With Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin headed to the Middle East next week, further negotiations between Democrats and the White House to reach a deal that can pass Congress after the election also may be put off.

The inability to bring months of negotiations to conclusion has sparked increasing tensions, with each camp seeing internal strains rise as it becomes clear there won’t be a spending bill to take to the public.

President Donald Trump tweeted that Congress should “go big or go home” shortly after his fellow Republican McConnell promised action next week on a bill targeted just to small businesses. Pelosi became riled during a CNN interview Tuesday afternoon when asked about Democrats who have urged her to look again at the Trump administration’s $1.8 trillion stimulus offer.

“I don’t know why you’re always an apologist” for the Republican position, she told anchor Wolf Blitzer. “Honest to God, I can’t get over it,” Pelosi said of those Democrats calling for a deal now. “They’re not negotiating this situation,” she said. he later added, “We’re not even close to the good.”

Markets Test

With less than three weeks remaining until the Nov. 3 elections, the failure to secure further fiscal help for millions of unemployed and for businesses facing another rise in coronavirus cases will pose a fresh test for financial markets. Stocks dipped on Tuesday with the lack of progress, with the S&P 500 Index closing down 0.6%.

“The U.S. stock market stimulus gas tank is running empty,” Edward Moya, a senior market analyst at brokerage Oanda Corp., wrote to clients Tuesday.

McConnell himself assessed last week that “the proximity to the elections and the differences of opinion about what is needed are pretty vast.”

On Tuesday, he proposed to vote next week on just one provision -- replenishing funds in the Paycheck Protection Program for small businesses. “Republicans do not agree that nothing is better than something for working families,” he said in a statement.

Pelosi warned her House colleagues on a call Tuesday that Democratic priorities would be cut in any deal based on the current White House offer. In the wake of Trump’s “go big” tweet, she told colleagues the Democratic side has more leverage than ever, three participants said.

Policy Gap

Pelosi has stuck with a $2.2 trillion bill, and the two sides remain far apart on several issues of policy as well, including how to deploy health care aid and apportion tax credits, as well as assistance to state and local governments.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany added to signs that a deal isn’t in the cards with an afternoon tweet saying, “Senate Democrats who now say we should focus on relief for the American People should bring their empty calls directly to Nancy Pelosi.”

The speaker is seeking to tamp down restlessness among Democrats to take what the White House is offering after Trump enlarged his proposal from $1.6 trillion. A number have encouraged her to get an agreement.

“People in need can’t wait until February. 1.8 trillion is significant & more than twice Obama stimulus,” California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna wrote on Twitter. “Make a deal & put the ball in McConnell court.”

Pelosi said in the CNN interview “Ro Khanna, that’s nice. That isn’t what we’re going to do.”

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