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President Joe Biden huddled with Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday as his party was laying the groundwork to pass his $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan without Republican support.
Biden was meeting in the Oval Office with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and the heads of banking and other committees, in a gathering that came two days after he told GOP senators he wasn’t willing to settle on an insufficient aid package. Republicans have pitched a $618 billion proposal.
Biden predicted some Republican support as he met with Senate Democrats, but said time was of the essence.
“I think we’ll get some Republicans,” the president said. In an earlier meeting with House Democrats, Biden reportedly said he wasn’t “married” to an absolute number on his rescue plan but said Congress needs to “act fast.”
Democrats including Schumer have said they welcome Republicans’ input as Washington crafts more relief for the coronavirus-battered economy. But they have insisted on a substantial package.
“The only thing we cannot accept is a package that is too small or too narrow to pull our country out of this emergency,” Schumer said Monday.
Now see: Democrats kick off push for Biden’s economic plan with budget blueprint
Also read: Democrats may have to lower ambitions for relief bill as Manchin stands firm
As Biden and top Democrats field Republican overtures, Democrats are taking steps in the so-called reconciliation process that would allow passage of Biden’s plans with a simple majority in the Senate. All 50 Democrats voted for a procedural step on Tuesday.
The clock is quickly ticking for more relief, with extra unemployment and other aid expiring in March.
Biden has proposed $1,400 stimulus checks; raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour; and billions of dollars for vaccines and COVID testing. Republicans are proposing $1,000 checks as well as the same amount of spending on vaccines and testing.
Now read: Here’s what’s in the $600 billion relief plan from 10 Republican senators
U.S. stocks SPX, +0.52% were up slightly early Wednesday afternoon, after recovering most of last week’s losses on Monday and Tuesday.
