The letter is a clear attempt to thwart the Democratic efforts to pursue budget reconciliation as the path to the next round of coronavirus assistance. This week, Democrats in both chambers are planning to make budget decisions that will allow the party to approve Biden’s $ 1.9 billion coronavirus plan without GOP votes.
The road still has little room for error: all 50 Senate Democrats would have to be on board, and the leaders of the House could afford few deviations. And Republicans in a dual-bargaining group have urged Biden to oust the effort to move forward without them, though Democrats are skeptical they will ever come up with the big spending plan they say is needed to revive the economy. .
According to a Republican assistant, the Republican senators will release more details about their plan on Monday. Sunday’s letter indicates that it will also extend unemployment benefits that expire in March, in line with Biden’s request for food aid and send a new round of payments to ‘the families most in need, including their dependent children’s. and adults. ‘ It will also address childcare, small business assistance and school funding.
Republicans and some Democrats complained that people with high earnings would be eligible for the next round of $ 1,400 payments. And no Republican has indicated that even Biden’s spending of $ 1.9 trillion is on the top line. This led to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Leader Chuck Schumer saying they would continue if Republicans were an obstacle to their plan.
In addition to Collins, the letter was signed by GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Mitt Romney of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Todd Young of Indiana, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Mike Rounds of South Carolina Dakota. They say that if Biden is willing to hear them, Congress will not have to pass a biased coronavirus bill.
“In 2020, members of the House and Senate and the previous government met five times on a dual basis,” they wrote Sunday. “With your support, we believe that Congress can once again draw up an emergency relief package that will provide meaningful, effective assistance to the American people and put us on a path to recovery.”