Topline
With Democrats in Congress poised to pass a coronavirus relief bill with little to no support from their Republican colleagues, President Joe Biden made yet another attempt to win them over Friday by pointing to the legislation’s popularity and asking Republicans to elucidate what relief programs in the bill they would see fit to lose.
Key Facts
After touring a Pfizer plant in Michigan where coronavirus vaccines are being produced, Biden took aim at GOP lawmakers who believe the $1.9 trillion price tag is “too big,” asking: “what would they have me cut? What would they have me leave out?"
Biden ran through a list of expenditures: “Do we not invest $3 billion to keep families from going hungry?” he asked, “do we not invest $35 billion to help people keep a roof over their heads?”
Biden said he is open to considering Republicans’ suggestions for how to improve the bill – despite Democrats’ use of budget reconciliation to bypass the need for Republican votes – but stated, “We have to make clear who is helped and who is hurt.”
Biden also urged Republicans to “listen to their constituents,” pointing to polling that suggests his plan is broadly popular, such as a Quinnipiac poll released earlier this month that had it at 68% approval.
But House GOP Whip Steve Scalise on Friday urged members of his caucus to vote against the bill when it comes to the House floor, labeling it the “Pelosi’s Payoff to Progressives Act” and homing in on a number of provisions that he sees as part of a “liberal wishlist.”
Among the expenditures Scalise cites are a 15% increase in SNAP benefits, $400 a week in unemployment insurance, and $130 billion for school reopening, all of which Biden pointed to in his remarks as critical programs.
Big Number
$350 billion. That’s how much the bill includes for state and local funding, a key point of contention for Republicans. Scalise labels it a “blue state bailout.”
Crucial Quote
“If Republicans are ready to work with Democrats on constructive amendments that will improve the bill we are ready to work,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a letter to colleagues on Friday. “However, we must not allow Republican obstructionism to deter us from our mission of delivering help to Americans who desperately need this relief.”
What To Watch For
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the bill will likely be voted on in the House by the end of next week. Both she and Schumer predicted it will be signed before March 14, when unemployment benefits for an estimated 11.4 million workers are set to expire.
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February 20, 2021 at 06:21AM
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Biden Issues Stimulus Challenge To Republicans: ‘What Would They Have Me Cut?’ - Forbes
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