The Senate voted 58-42 on Friday night to reject Senator Bernie Sanders’ effort to add a $ 15 minimum wage provision to President Biden’s $ 1.9 million COVID-19 relief project, and is now ready to run until Saturday in a marathon that lasted all night haggling over the massive measure.
The so-called “vote-a-rama” – during which senators can offer and debate unlimited amendments – came over the objections of Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell, who on Friday denounced the Democrat’s lack of standing in postponing the vote until 10am on Saturday.
“They want to start the vote that could have been taken in the light of day because of their own confusion and the challenges of bringing 50 people together to agree on something,” McConnell complained when calling for the postponement.
He was referring to a 12-hour stalemate the previous Friday, during which Democrats struggled to unify the 50 members of their caucus, an stalemate that finally ended just before 11 pm, with a last-minute deal with the senator center democrat Joe Manchin. emergency benefits without a job.
“Now that this agreement has been reached, let’s go to power for the rest of the process and make this bill,” promised Senate majority leader Charles Schumer (D-NY).
Democrats, who have tight control over the Senate, postponed plans to start vote amendments early Friday afternoon after Manchin (DW.Va.) allied with Republicans in demanding that unemployment benefits be cut.
That specific stalemate was broken after nine o’clock, with an agreement that would provide weekly benefits of $ 300 through September 6, along with a reduction in tax on benefits.
A federal unemployment supplement approved in December – $ 300 a week – expires this month.
The House approved version of the Biden bill had a more generous weekly unemployment supplement of $ 400 through August.
The last-minute negotiations were Manchin’s first major power game, which alone could undermine Biden’s legislative agenda in the equally divided Senate.
Biden obtained less than 30% of the vote in West Virginia, giving Manchin no imperative to get in line.
The evening’s pledge – and the negative vote on raising the minimum wage – paves the way for the marathon of votes on the aid package, with the vote scheduled to last until Saturday.
In addition to the $ 300 increase in weekly unemployment benefits, the Senate’s COVID-19 relief bill provides:
• A benefit of $ 1,400 per person, including children, for individuals who earn less than $ 75,000 per year or couples who earn less than $ 150,000 per year.
• A total of $ 350 billion in aid to municipalities, states and the District of Columbia.
• An extension of the current 15% increase in food stamp benefits until September.
• About $ 20 billion in housing aid for state and local governments.
• Nearly $ 130 billion for K-12 schools to help children return to their classrooms.
• $ 15 billion for small businesses through the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan program.
• $ 75 billion for vaccinations, tests and other pandemic medical supplies.
• An annual tax credit of $ 3,600 per child under 6 and $ 3,000 per child under 17.
Budgetary reconciliation rules allow a simple majority of votes in the legislation to pass the equally divided Senate, where Vice President Kamala Harris breaks ties in favor of Democrats.
The Senate version of the bill has already undergone major changes.
Biden this week approved a more pronounced elimination of $ 1,400 stimulus checks, which means that people who earn more than $ 80,000 a year will not see a penny, up from a $ 100,000 limit in the House version.
The Senate congressman eliminated key provisions that Republicans and some central Democrats objected to, including $ 140 million for a rail project near the California district, by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Republicans say the bill is unnecessary and wasteful, noting that many of the funds will not be spent until the pandemic is over.
For example, the bill contains $ 129 billion for K-12 schools, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates that about 95% will not be spent in 2021 because funds approved for schools last year were not spent.
For parents, the bill authorizes an annual tax credit of $ 3,600 per child under 6 and $ 3,000 per child under 17.
These funds are also eliminated for winners over $ 75,000 or joint registrars over $ 150,000.
A family of four earning less than $ 150,000 can deposit more than $ 14,000 into the account, according to an analysis by CNBC.extra.