If Democrats cannot find a way to include the salary increase in the stimulus measure, the bill could lose the support of progressives, although Pelosi said the House would “absolutely” approve the measure without the salary increase, if necessary.
“I don’t think we can go back to the voters and say, ‘Look, I know that Republicans, Democrats and independents support that; we promised that, but because of an unelected congressman who gave us a decision, we couldn’t do that, ”deputy Pramila Jayapal, a Democrat from Washington and president of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters. “There are a lot of good things in the package, but if it is diluted, it is an entirely different problem. So, we just have to see what will end. “
Democrats have adopted the general stimulus package as critical to the economy. It would provide direct payments of $ 1,400 to individuals who earn up to $ 75,000 a year and couples who earn up to $ 150,000, and expand a federal weekly unemployment benefit, increasing from $ 300 to $ 400 a week and extending it until the end of August. It would also increase the amount of the tax credit per child; provide more than $ 50 billion for vaccine distribution, testing and tracking; and direct almost $ 200 billion to primary and secondary schools and $ 350 billion to state, local and tribal governments.
The legislation, once approved in the Chamber, will go to the Senate, where it should be changed. Then he would be sent back to the House for a final vote before going to the White House for Biden’s signature.
House Republicans were expected to oppose the legislation, with few exceptions. They argued that the plan is very expensive and contains provisions that are not related to pandemic relief. And while his party members used the reconciliation process twice in 2017 to steer the Democratic opposition to its highest priorities – once to force a $ 1.5 trillion tax cut and once in a failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act – they complained that Democrats had eliminated them from the draft stimulus measure.
“This is not a relief bill,” California Representative Kevin McCarthy, the Republican leader, said at his weekly news conference. “He takes care of the Democrats’ political allies, while failing to care for American families.”
Like many Republicans on Capitol Hill, he wore a “No Pelosi Payout” sticker.
“We already know what the best stimulus plan is: it is to fully reopen our economy,” said McCarthy.