Biden urges Senate Dems to unite behind relief bill
President Joe Biden made an aggressive pitch to Senate Democrats for his relief plan, telling them during a virtual meeting Tuesday that they all need to accept some provisions they might not like but also must demonstrate to the American people they are responding to the devastating public health and economic crises, according to a source with direct knowledge of the discussion.
Biden told Democrats that the vote he is asking them to take isn’t politically difficult, arguing that it is popular and has bipartisan support outside the halls of Congress, the source said. Biden said Democrats need to show voters they can accomplish this major achievement, while conceding they may have to accept some pieces of the plan they might not favor.
Biden joined Senate Democrats virtually during their caucus lunch Tuesday afternoon, spoke for roughly 15 minutes and didn’t take questions, the source said.
The meeting came as Democrats face pressure to stick together to pass the sweeping rescue package. Biden also held a virtual meeting with a group of Senate Democrats on Monday.
Biden spoke broadly but didn’t get into the details of the ongoing debates within the Senate Democratic Caucus, per senators on call, including how to structure enhanced jobless benefits. There is an ongoing debate about whether to pare back the jobless benefits to $300 per week, down from $400 in the House-passed bill, and multiple Democrats say that issue has not yet been resolved.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia is pushing for the $300 level, but Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware said he wouldn’t support reducing the benefit.
The president’s ongoing outreach underscores the important role the narrow Democratic majority will play in getting the COVID-19 package across the finish line. The caucus has no room for error in a chamber with a 50-50 partisan split and Vice President Kamala Harris acting as the tiebreaker.
The House passed the president’s $1.9 trillion package early Saturday morning with zero Republicans voting in favor. Now, all eyes are on the Senate, where Majority Leader Chuck Schumer could bring the COVID-19 package — which includes direct checks, small business aid, and funding for schools, state and local governments and vaccine distribution — to the floor as early as today.
Biden and Senate Democrats have discussed “targeting” the COVID-19 relief package, but not reducing the overall price tag of the $1.9 trillion bill, according to Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, who attended the virtual meeting Monday.