WASHINGTON (CU)_Congress on Tuesday (Feb 2) took its first major steps toward passing the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. Setting the reconciliation process in motion, the Senate voted in a 50-49 party line vote to advance a budget resolution, and the House followed suit, pushing a budget measure forward in a 216-210 vote Tuesday night.
Once passed in both chambers, it will enable the Democrats to approve the relief package without any Republican support.
While Democrats insist that they need to inject more money into the health and economic response to the pandemic and proposed a $1.9 trillion relief package, however, a handful of Republicans have countered a much narrower $618 billion proposal, with a 10-member GOP group meeting with President Joe Biden on Monday urging him to make good on his campaign promises to seek bipartisan unity. Although the Republicans emerged from the meeting sounding upbeat, the parties failed to agree on a middle ground regarding the relief legislation.
Meanwhile, President Biden has expressed his support for the use of reconciliation, saying he is “totally on board” with the approach.
Democrats’ proposal includes $1,400 direct payments to most Americans, a $400 per week federal jobless benefit through September, and $350 billion for state, local and tribal relief. It also puts $20 billion into a national vaccination program, along with $170 billion into K-12 schools and higher education institutions, among a slew of other provisions.
The Republican offer on the other hand, proposes the stimulus checks to be $1,000 instead of $1,400, and start to phase out at $40,000 in income for individuals rather than $75,000.
It would direct only $20 billion toward K-12 schools, and offers $300 per week in unemployment insurance through June, which is $100 less weekly than in Biden’s proposal for three fewer months. Moreover, it would not include any state, local and tribal support, which is a priority for Democrats.
Nevertheless, according to White House press secretary Jen Psaki, President Biden’s view on the matter remains that “the risk is not that it is too big, this package, the risk is that it is too small”.
The President has urged Congress to pass the relief bill “immediately”, saying “hardworking Americans need help and they need it now”.
“I’m calling on Congress to immediately pass my American Rescue Plan that will deliver direct relief, extend unemployment insurance, help folks put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads, and more,” he tweeted.
The budget resolution filed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday includes instructions for relevant committees to draft relief policies. The measures include the Covid-19 vaccine distribution and testing funds, direct payments, unemployment aid, small business support, rental and mortgage assistance, and school funding, among others.
