Senate Republicans are expressing their frustration over what they see as a long-standing opportunity to negotiate a two-tier COVID-19 relief bill with President Biden by blaming his staff for standing in their way.
Republican senators who met with Biden in the White House on Monday told colleagues after the meeting that White House staff Ron Klain
Ron KlainBiden announces next week the task force on migrant family reunification to The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – What path will Democrats take with regard to COVID-19 bill? Biden’s immigration plans added MORE stands at the back of the room and shakes his head ‘no’ throughout the meeting.
“There is definitely a mixed signal from him about the unity message,” Sen. Kevin Cramer
Kevin John Cramer Little known senator of the Senate plays a major role in the Biden assistance plan OMB candidate will be tried on 9 February. (RN.D.), who was briefed by colleagues on the White House meeting.
Cramer said Biden was “very engaged and well prepared” for the meeting, “but I also heard his chief of staff standing in the back of the room and shaking his head ‘no’ for every point.”
“That’s what we said,” he added.
Senior government officials said IDP senators should be more focused on passing aid legislation than pointing fingers at White House advisers for not agreeing to an underfunded proposal.
And a White House official stepped back.
“Republicans came to the meeting in good faith, but it appears they are playing the blame rather than having a matter-of-fact discussion on this bill,” the official said.
‘Republicans were good with $ 160 billion for state and local funding Donald Trump
Donald Trump, chief executive of the Chamber of Commerce, leaves: Fox News Media cancels Lou Dobbs’ show GOP lawmakers demand Pelosi fined for new shows MORE president was, and it is now zero, ”the official said, referring to the group of ten senators’ proposal.
“If they want to have a serious discussion about an aid package that helps the people who need it, let’s start with how much local funding they were willing to give Donald Trump,” the source said.
Republicans who sat at Biden for more than two hours thought they were making good progress and were surprised when the White House press secretary Jen Psaki
Jen PsakiThe Hill’s 12:30 report: Senate Dems negotiates 9 trillion COVID relief details CDC says schools are safe, but Biden ignores science, doctors watch directly: White House holds press briefing MORE immediately issued a statement concluding GOP’s expectations of an agreement.
Psaki said Biden “reiterated his view that Congress should respond boldly and urgently and take note of many areas that do not address the Republican senators’ proposal.”
She said the president had “made it clear” that his $ 1.9 trillion plan was “designed to meet the interests of the moment and that any change in it could not meet the country’s needs” avoid a filibuster “is a way to achieve this.”
The statement sounded like an indiscriminate remark to Republican senators.
‘During lunch we had the opportunity to speak to the members of the meeting in the hope that we could find a two-party. Our members who were present at the meeting felt that the president was more interested in it than his staff were interested in. ‘ Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellThe memorandum: bad job report strengthens Biden stimulus case ACCOMPANYING ENERGY: DOJ to get companies to pay for environmental projects again to reduce fines | House Democrats again propose a green energy tax package in Marjorie Taylor Greene, a look to the future MORE (R-Ky.) Told reporters after being briefed.
Biden said Friday, just days after promising to exchange memos and data with GOP senators on the drafting of a dual emergency relief agreement, that he was ready to proceed on a COVID-19 bill without Republican support if they are not willing to do so. go bigger.
“I’m going to act fast,” he said. “I would like to do that with the support of Republicans. I met Republicans. There are some very good people who want to do something, but they are just not willing to go far as I think we should go. ‘
GOP senators on Monday proposed a $ 618 billion emergency relief package to Biden, which limited direct payments to individuals to $ 1,000 – as opposed to Biden’s preference below $ 1,400 – and did not include direct funding to cash-strapped state and local governments not. Biden’s plan calls for $ 350 billion in state and local aid.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito
Shelley Wellons Moore CapitoSenate Announces Broad Support for More Targeted Coronavirus Lighting Tests Dual Group of Senators Calls for More Targeted Lighting Tests OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate Committee Promotes Granholm Nomination to Lead Energy | EPA-nominated Regan promises ‘urgency’ on climate change during confirmation hearing | Omar calls on Biden to block the pipeline being built in Minnesota (RW.Va.), who was in the room with Biden on Monday, said she was “slightly surprised” by the White House staff statement because “I think the president is supposed to set the tone.”
She thought Biden was interested in a deal, but lowered her expectations after White House advisers underestimated expectations after the meeting.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski
Lisa Ann MurkowskiBiden must follow his own advice: Compromise The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Facebook – Democrats show the way to succeed Biden’s COVID-19 emergency relief plan, GOP, indicating that he may be able to move without them MORE (R-Alaska), who was also in the meeting with Biden, said it is not uncommon for principals and staff members to have intersections in Washington. She noted that Psaki was not in the room for the president’s meeting with IDP legislators.
“I think the staff has their opinion and I think we have seen the president express his opinion,” she said. “It’s not uncommon here. We see it. ”
Murkowski said chief negotiators usually meet face-to-face so their staff can be informed on how to move the talks forward, but sometimes the message may not get through to the staff level.
‘This was the first meeting the president had in the Oval Office, the first meeting with a group of senators. “Maybe they are all still trying to find out who is doing what and who is calling the shots,” she added.
In addition to White House staff, the vast majority of Democrats on Capitol Hill are itching to move Biden’s full $ 1.9 billion proposal through Congress as soon as possible.
“We are not going to make the mistake of 2009 and have too small a package that took too long and took four or five years before the economy recovered,” the Senate majority leader said. Charles Schumer
Chuck Schumer More than 60 progressive groups are calling on Schumer to make a new filibuster. Booker is re-drafting the bill to give all newborns, 000 savings accounts. Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez, Blumenauer want to sue Biden for declaring more emergencies. (DN.Y.) told reporters this week.
Schumer had the Senate work until 5:30 a.m. Thursday night to pass a budget decision through a party vote, which laid the groundwork for moving a COVID-19 aid package under special budget rules to a filibuster next month avoid.
This will enable Democrats to carry out a major emergency package without any support from the Republic, although White House advisers and Democratic leaders say they will continue to listen to the input of GOP senators who are welcome to take part in negotiations. take.
Psaki said at a news conference last week that Republicans would have a chance to “get their ideas in and see.”
‘At any point in the process, a dual bill could move on the floor. “To create the option for reconciliation with a budget resolution, therefore, does not exclude other legislative options,” she said. ‘It’s me’ when a bill becomes a law ‘from the briefing today. “
Psaki said Republican ideas could be adopted during the negotiations over the coming weeks, while Democratic lawmakers design the package to succeed under reconciliation.
Democrats point out that several Democratic senators voted for the Bush tax cuts that the Senate’s GOP majority passed in 2001 and 2003 with less than 60 votes during the budget reconciliation process.
Three Democrats voted in favor of George W. Bush’s 2003 tax relief package – Sens. Evan Bayh (Ind.), Zell Miller (Ga.) And Ben Nelson (Neb.) – by running under budget conciliation, while 12 Democrats voted for Bush’s 2001 tax cut. , which Republicans also implemented through budget reconciliation.
Of the Democrats who supported the $ 1.35 trillion tax cut with Bush in 2001, only sen. Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Emiel Feinstein Unemployment fraud reports increase as states send out tax forms Harris casts first votes as Vice President Bush. Obama-era officials urge Senate to quickly confirm Biden’s DHS choice MORE (California) is still in the Senate.
Psaki said this week that Republicans have the ability to present amendments during the debate on the budget resolution, which took place Thursday night and early Friday, as well as in later stages of the process.
Senate Republicans were able to add some amendments to the budget resolution.
But the Democrats later eliminated three of them – one preventing checks from going to undocumented immigrants, a second expressing support for hydrofracking and a third supporting the Keystone XL pipeline – in a final replacement amendment which was transmitted according to strict party lines.