Pelosi, Hoyer Push Recoupment

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Majority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) are both pushing a plan that would require Wall Street to repay the federal government if taxpayers lose money through the program.

Addressing reporters after a closed-door caucus meeting, both leaders mentioned the proposal, which would impose a small fee on financial services firms that participate in the Treasury program to buy distressed mortgage-related assets if, after five or so years, the government has lost money.

This is the latest proposal to surface in a week-long congressional debate over restoring liquidity to the financial markets.

Conservative Democrats in the Blue Dog Caucus drafted a letter for Pelosi and Republican Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) advocating this plan.

This is just one of the many proposals in the mix as negotiators begin their second session of the day, after a short break for dinner. Many involve plans to recoup taxpayer funds or help over-stretched homeowners prevent foreclosure.

The speaker did sound a partisan note, complaining that Republicans were "unpatriotic" for missing a negotiating session on Thursday after the contentious White House meeting - both sides blamed the other afterward for that no-show.

And Hoyer hinted, "We may be here Monday," if negotiators don't reach a compromise tonight.