House Democrats early Saturday morning voted in favor of President Joe Biden’s $ 1.9 billion emergency spending package 219-212, which sent the legislation to the Senate, while lawmakers rushed the means of strengthening unemployment insurance in mid-March.
The stimulus plan cleared the room with Republicans united in their resistance. Two Democrats joined Republicans to vote against the legislation.
The package includes $ 1,400 stimulus checks for taxpayers, $ 400 in federal unemployment benefits, assistance to state and local governments and vaccine funds. Democrats say it will form a critical pillar in the fight against the pandemic and the economic turmoil it has caused.
“The sooner we pass and sign the bill, the sooner we can move forward with what this legislation is about – to save the lives and livelihoods of the American people,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Friday.
But Republicans upheld the proposal, claiming many of its provisions were unrelated to the pandemic. Texas House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy told the law at a news conference
“We already know what the best stimulus plan is there: it is to reopen our economy,” he said. “To do that, our economy needs to go back to work, back to school and back to health.”
Senate Democrats will take up the legislation next week, and they are trying to introduce it before the expiration of the improved unemployment insurance in mid-March. But they are facing difficult decisions that could cause clashes.
The home bill includes a minimum wage of $ 15, but the Senate MP on Thursday night ordered it scrapped from the plan. The recommendation means that the provision, an important progressive priority, violates the strict reconciliation guidelines according to which Democrats want to pass the bill by 51 votes in the Senate.
Senior Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Sherrod Brown of Ohio, are coming up with a backup plan along with Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Their proposal would impose tax fines on large businesses that do not pay workers at least $ 15 an hour.
Small businesses will receive tax credits equal to up to 25% of their salaries if they increase workers’ wages. Some business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce say they oppose the measure.
‘Enough political games’, Neal Bradley, chief policy officer at the Chamber of Commerce, tweeted Friday. “The business community believes that a reasonable minimum wage increase can be achieved. R and D members say the same thing. It is time for Sen. Sanders and others to focus on a reasonable compromise.”
Some progressives in the House have called on Democrats to keep their promise of a pay rise.
‘I do not think we can go back to voters and say,’ Look, I know Republicans, Democrats, Independents support it, we promised it, but because of an unelected parliamentarian who gave us a decision, we could do not Rep. Pramila Jayapal, chairwoman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, told reporters. “Nobody’s going to buy it.”