The president pushes for his project that also integrates the $1,400 per person.
President Joe Biden’s proposed pandemic economic stimulus package includes a $400 bonus to weekly unemployment insurance.
In addition, the President considers it necessary to deliver these funds until September of this year, which means six additional months to the aid program that is currently distributed and ends in March.
The proposal was included in the bill presented by the Democratic leaders in Congress, Nancy Pelosi (California), Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Chuck Schumer (New York), Senate Majority Leader.
This Tuesday, President Biden and Senate Democrats will meet to delve deeper into the path to passage of the relief plan, introduced in both chambers as Budget Reconciliation, in order to secure the necessary votes.
It is in the Senate where the President’s bill could face the greatest challenges, since some Democrats, such as Joseph Manchin (West Virginia), have doubts about its approval, which would complicate achieving the necessary 50 votes, plus the support of Vice-President Kamala Harris.
The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan includes direct aid of $1,400 dollars per person, as well as ample support for businesses, small businesses, housing, food and vaccination funds.
Biden, congressional Democrats move forward together on stimulus package with $1,400 check
The president pushes for his project that also integrates the $1,400 per person. President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats are on the same page about the $1.9 trillion economic aid plan that includes the $1,400 per person check.
Also at the meeting was Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, who agreed that the $600 billion plan proposed by Republicans is “too low” for the economic and health challenges facing the country in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) told a news conference that they will continue to pursue the Budget Reconciliation plan, which he jointly introduced Monday with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.).
“Chairman Biden talked about the need for Congress to respond broadly and quickly…He emphasized the need for a big package,” Schumer said. “(The president) said the Republicans’ $600 billion package was too small. I think it is.”
Committees in both chambers are reviewing the bill to unify it and move forward with a vote on both floors.
Schumer noted that both Biden and Yellen emphasized that moving forward with the Republican plan would cause the country to face greater problems from the pandemic.
“Secretary Yellen said the Republicans’ plan does not help low-income families,” the senator noted.
He added that the president told Republicans, led by Susan Collins (Maine), that he was willing to make modifications to his $1.9 trillion plan, but considered it barely enough in the face of the pandemic.
Schumer defended the bill as “bipartisan,” as several Republicans support it and will continue the process.
“The majority in the Senate is ready to achieve the goal,” he said. He added that they will not allow further delays in passage, although there is no specific date yet.
Republican criticism
While Schumer defends the strategy as a bipartisan bill, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) says it is a “partisan” decision.
“The majority will have their motion to proceed…has chosen a totally partisan path…We’re off to a totally partisan start,” McConnell said.
He referred to the Republican caucus meeting with Chairman Biden, but that it was unsuccessful, as Democrats will have their motion to proceed with the budget bill.
He criticized that it was defended as a bipartisan plan, when his caucus is not on board, in addition to defending the scaled-down bill to grant “an early victory” to Chairman Biden.
Democrats will move forward with the process and if they get the vote of their entire caucus, plus the vote of Vice Chairwoman Kamala Harris, the aid bill could pass.