- Pelosi says Democrats are preparing for a plenary vote later next week.
- She also said that House Democrats are communicating with the Senate to ensure that the bill complies with strict budget rules.
- Democrats want to approve the package by mid-March to avoid expiring federal unemployment programs.
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Spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday that House Democrats intended to establish a vote in plenary for President Joe Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion federal bailout package by the end of next week. But she also acknowledged that some procedural obstacles remained before the bill could be enacted into law.
The California Democrat said at his weekly news conference that Democrats in the House wanted to vote on the package by the end of February.
“At the same time, there is communication with the Senate about what Byrd’s rule will allow in projects as we go along,” said Pelosi, referring to a part of the reconciliation process that Democrats are employing.
The reconciliation procedure is a shortcut that allows Democrats to approve the package with a simple majority of 51 votes, instead of the 60 normally needed to prevent Republican obstruction.
But reconciliation has strict guidelines that govern it and the main one is Byrd’s rule. He describes that all provisions in a bill must be related to the federal budget to be approved. The Senate parliamentarian interprets the rule, and this has led experts to say that elements of the bill that are unrelated to taxes and spending will not survive the process.
The race for mid-March
Democrats are rushing to approve the package before the improved unemployment insurance expires on March 14, a schedule that creates very little room for error. The House Budget Committee announced that it would begin putting together the final relief bill on Monday, a week after it was expected to mark the legislation.
The current draft proposal in the House would provide $ 1,400 stimulus checks and $ 400 federal unemployment benefits, and would also gradually begin to implement a $ 15 minimum wage. It also includes funding for vaccine distribution, virus testing and state and local governments, among other provisions.
Republicans argue that the level of spending is too high after Congress passed a $ 900 billion package in December. Last year, lawmakers and President Donald Trump authorized $ 4 trillion in emergency spending to combat the pandemic.
The Republican Party fiercely criticized the $ 15 minimum wage as a measure that would cost jobs. The Senate parliamentarian can also eliminate him from the final package.
Progressives are defending the measure as a critical wage increase for hourly employees, since Congress has not raised wages in more than a decade.
“Frankly, given the composition of the Senate, this is our best opportunity and the right time in the midst of this pandemic to give millions of workers a long overdue increase,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), President of Progressive Caucus , he told reporters on Thursday.
Democrats are also starting to think about their next legislative priorities, which may include a multi-trillion-dollar infrastructure package. On Wednesday, Biden met with top union leaders at the White House to begin gathering support from the allies.