That breakthrough got the Democrats ready to bring Biden’s bill to the fore as soon as possible. According to a Democratic Senate, Biden urged the party to “swallow” provision they did not like during a virtual afternoon meeting on Tuesday. Moderate senators could present their $ 300 weekly proposal as an amendment later this week, while Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Said he planned to force a vote on a minimum wage of $ 15 per hour.
The disagreement over unemployment benefits was not a major problem in derailing or even delaying the party’s insistence on the speedy passage of the $ 1.9 billion bill.
The Democrats said they expect a relatively smooth process because they will end the bill before the March 14 unemployment benefits expire. The Senate hopes to return its version of the legislation to the House well before the deadline in order to give states an edge over the logistics of extending the benefits.
Schumer has taken procedural steps to put the legislation passed by the House on the floor, though the Senate will replace it in its own text before it finishes voting. Among the things that the Senate will remove from the House bill: the $ 15 minimum wage increase, as well as several transportation projects, all of which were excluded by the non-partisan MP from the Senate.
Senate Democrats need all 50 members to consider the bill, a vote expected Wednesday afternoon. After that, the room will plunge into a long debate and end with a series of amendment votes that can run for hours on end, known as a ‘voice-a-rama’.
Senate Republicans are discussing how painful it is to make things happen for Democrats, possibly by dragging out the marathon of unlimited amendments overnight. This will likely happen late on Thursday and run early Friday morning.
“I hope for infinity. There are people talking about setting a schedule and sticking to it, ‘said Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.).
Paul said some in his party want to drive the debate well this past Thursday and continue to add amendments until Friday, while proposing to Schumer spread the pain over two days.