The $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan is facing a potential wood chipper in the Senate, while lawmakers are considering making changes to the giant bill.
The Chamber passed the legislation on Friday, sending it to the Senate, where it could be presented next week. The leadership wants the bill to be sanctioned in mid-March, with the burden of quickly sending it to Congress.
But before Senate Democrats can approve the bill, they will need to go through an hour-long voting session known as vote-a-rama, where any senator can introduce an amendment. Any changes will require the coronavirus relief package to return to the Chamber.
“There is talk of a slightly different approach to some of these provisions … [But] we don’t want to undermine reconciliation, “said the senator. Dick Durbin
Dick Durbin Party headwinds threaten Capitol Murkowski riot committee undecided on Tanden as a limbo indication Democrats ask the FBI for plans to address domestic extremism after attacking the Capitol MORE (D-Ill.), Referring to the budgeting process that Democrats are using to advance legislation. “We want to do something that is politically viable with the cooperation of House.”
Sen. John Cornyn
John CornynPolitics, not racism or sexism, explains opposition to Biden’s Cabinet nominees. Biden promises to support Texas amid the recovery from the winter storm. Party headwinds threaten Capitol riot commission MORE (R-Texas), asked what to expect from Republicans, added that “I think people are eager to have the chance to establish their milestones and present their point of view.”
With Senate action normally tightly controlled, vote-by-branches represents one of the few chances that senators have to force votes. An earlier vote earlier this month on budget resolution – which prepared the COVID-19 relief bill – drew more than 800 amendments, with the debate starting in the afternoon and continuing until after 5 am
But most of the amendments during that debate were not binding, making them little more than political messages. The stakes are rising in the next debate, as any successful amendments would change the bill and force it to return to the lower house.
“I think you had a little preview, but budget resolution is not law … and that will be, so I think you can expect a robust amendment process,” said Cornyn.
An 11-hour hurdle is what the Senate ends up doing with the federal minimum wage after the congressman decreed that raising the amount to $ 15 an hour does not obey the mysterious budget rules that determine what can be included in the bill. of relief.
The House left the $ 15 minimum wage language in effect, although it is eliminated in the Senate. Democrats are struggling to see if they can insert language into the bill that effectively forces big corporations to implement a minimum wage of $ 15 an hour.
The idea was supported by the chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Ron Wyden
Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenHouse Democrats approve sweeping .9T COVID-19 relief bill with minimum wage increase House must vote tightly on COVID-19 relief package On The Money: Democrats struggle to save minimum wage increase | Personal income goes up, inflation remains low after the stimulus breaks MORE (D-Ore.) And Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersHouse Democrats approve COVID-19 sweeping .9T relief bill with minimum wage increase House must vote tight on COVID-19 relief package On The Money: Democrats struggle to save minimum wage increase | Personal income goes up, inflation remains low after the stimulus breaks MORE (I-Vt.), And a senior Democratic aide said Majority Leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerA bizarre backstory from the obstructionist Hillicon Valley: Biden signs order for chips | Hearing about media misinformation | Facebook agreement with Australia | CIA Nominee in SolarWinds House Rules Launches New Text of COVID-19 Relief Bill MORE (DN.Y.) “is considering” adding it to the coronavirus relief bill.
Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinProgressives rages at Senate setbacks Politics, not racism or sexism, explains opposition to House Democrats from Biden Cabinet nominees approve .9T COVID-19 relief bill with minimum wage increase MOST (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.), Who opposed the $ 15 hourly minimum wage increase, have not yet considered.
Further bipartisan discussions on how to make additional changes to the package are underway.
Sen. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsCollins urges Biden to revise the order on the borders of the US-Canada border. Wagon media circles for conspiracy theorist Neera Tanden Why the ‘Never-Trumpers’ Failed MORE (R-Maine) said he was talking to Democrats about potential amendments, such as raising the income limit for Americans to receive stimulus payments, with those earning more than $ 200,000 receiving a partial check.
Asked about the comments, Durbin added, “This is one of the topics that the bipartisan group of senators raised from the beginning.”
During the budget vote, a bipartisan group of senators filed an amendment to express support to ensure that “high-income taxpayers are not eligible”. The amendment, which was not binding, ended up being approved by 99 votes in favor.
Under the coronavirus law, individuals who earn up to $ 75,000 and couples who earn up to $ 150,000 would receive a check for $ 1,400. Thereafter, the check amount is reduced until it is completely eliminated for individuals who earn $ 100.00 or couples who earn $ 200,000.
Many in the same group of senators also filed an amendment to the budget resolution that supported limiting federal unemployment payments to $ 300 a week. The Chamber account limits the payment to $ 400 per week.
While six Democratic senators were co-sponsors of the budget resolution amendment, it is unclear whether there would be enough support to achieve a similar change in the coronavirus bill – a move that would provoke fury in progressives in both chambers.
Sen. Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) TesterDemocrats hesitate to raise taxes amid the pandemic Jennifer Palmieri: ‘Ever since I knew politics, I wanted to be in politics’ Democrats in conflict with the minimum wage MORE (D-Mont), one of the co-sponsors of the budget amendment, said he supports $ 400 a week and has not yet analyzed how the House bill dealt with stimulus checks.
Asked about the potential for bipartisan support to lower the weekly payment threshold, Collins noted that “there was a general consensus on this at some point”.
Schumer has urged members of the Democratic bench in the Senate to suggest any potential changes to the bill so that they can be incorporated into legislation before it passes the House. Although Democrats initially did not propose changes to the budget resolution, they ended up supporting dozens.
“Please continue to provide feedback and ideas to my office and Senate commissions for the bill. We have already incorporated many of your suggestions, as well as a series of bipartisan proposals, into the bill and the Senate is on track to send a hefty $ 1.9 trillion package to the president’s desk, “wrote Schumer in a letter” Dear colleague “.
In the meantime, Republicans are planning their own potential changes, after winning big victories in the budget vote, and can support amendments to water down the legislation, although all 50 Republican senators from the Republican Party must vote against the final bill.
“Thinking strategically and tactically, I think you should almost ask yourself ‘do you want to make it better’, and I think you do,” said the senator. Kevin cramer
Kevin John CramerOn The Money: Manhattan DA gets tax returns from Trump | Biden nominee reviews post-Trump trade agenda | Biden faces first setback as Tanden swings ENERGY OF THE NIGHT: Senate confirms former Michigan Governor Granholm as Energy Secretary | GOP bill would codify Trump’s rule on financing fossil fuels and weapons | Kennedy apologizes for calling Haaland a Republican Party bill ‘crazy’ that would encode Trump’s rule on fossil fuel financing (RN.D.) on supporting change while opposing the general bill.
Sen. Todd Young
Todd Christopher YoungGraham: Trump will be ‘useful’ to all occupants of the Republican Party in the Senate. Biden signs supply chain order after ‘positive’ meeting with lawmakers. (R-Ind.) E Tom Cotton
Tom Bryant CottonSunday shows the preview: 2024 candidates meet at CPAC; House passes coronavirus relief; vaccination effort continues The Memo: CPAC soars from 2024 Democrats struggle to rescue minimum wage increase MORE (R-Ark.) It obtained bipartisan support for an amendment during the budget vote to support the non-provision of stimulus checks to undocumented immigrants – although the Democratic leadership claimed it would also have legally impacted family members within the United States.
Young suggested that lawmakers were trying to resolve the problem in the House to avoid an amendment vote in the Senate, but that if it didn’t work, he would offer the same amendment to the coronavirus bill that previously had the support of eight Democrats.
“I assume it is a political protection effort,” he said of efforts to address the issue in the Chamber. “But if it promotes good public policies, I am totally in favor”.