West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is using his decisive vote to push the Democrats to lower the revenue threshold of the $ 1,400 stimulus checks in the $ 1.9 billion $ 1.9 billion relief package.
Montana Senator Jon Tester confirmed that a group of moderate Democrats met with Biden in the White House on Monday to discuss amendments to the coronavirus economic relief bill passed by the House of Representatives Friday night.
“We talked about the package and we talked about the target of dollars,” he said.
Manchin, who attended the meeting, said that his staff was currently searching the bill and that he was ‘talking’ to party leaders to ensure that the measures were ‘targeted’, according to The cup.
In addition to further focusing on the checks, Manchin also expressed concern about the high price attached to the $ 350 billion aid to state and local governments, and indicated that he wants to reduce the federal unemployment benefits of $ 400 per week. I rather supported $ 300, he said Monday. “We’ve negotiate.”
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Every Senate Democrat will have to join the package so that it can succeed using the budget process called Reconciliation without IDP support. After approval by the House last week, the bill now goes to the upper chamber, where moderate Democrats, along with Republicans, can present amendments. Any successful amendments will then be returned to the lower chamber for final voting.
During the budget debate, Manchin and Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, a moderate, spearheaded a non-binding resolution to restrict high-income earners from receiving direct payments. Collins also said she was in talks with Democrats last Tuesday about lowering the revenue threshold.
Under the bill, individuals earning less than $ 75,000 a year would receive $ 1,400 and married couples earning less than $ 150,000 would receive $ 2,800. Individuals earning below $ 100,000 will still receive a lower payment, but those earning above will be phased out completely.
Most Democrats supported the current income threshold. Asked about the Biden meeting with moderate Democrats Monday night, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts asked Mr. Rachel Maddow, MSNBC host, said she was “going to do more and not less help for people.”
“I think it’s critical,” she added.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Sunday that Biden was still willing to lower the revenue threshold for direct payments, but added that he would not negotiate the size of the checks.
Newsweek issued Manchin’s office for further comment.