GOP Senators to Meet with Biden on Covid Relief Bill

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While Democrats are prepared to steamroll over Republicans to pass a $1.9 trillion Covid bill, a group of GOP senators is hoping to reach a compromise. A group of 10 GOP senators being led by Susan Collins is set to hold a meeting with President Biden today to discuss a relief bill that could gain bipartisan support. Democrats are currently prepared to pass the bill without any Republican support by using the budget reconciliation tactic which allows them to bypass a filibuster. Republicans have become increasingly vocal about being left out of negotiations for the bill.

Fox News reports:

“In 2020, Members of the House and Senate and the previous Administration came together on a bipartisan basis five times to direct the resources of the federal government toward combatting the urgent COVID-19 pandemic,” the senators said in a letter to the White House. “Each of these laws received the support of members from both political parties.”

They added: “With your support, we believe Congress can once again craft a relief package that will provide meaningful, effective assistance to the American people and set us on a path to recovery.”

President Biden then invited the Republicans to the White House Monday to discuss their offer and the broader effort for coronavirus relief. The senators in the coalition if paired with all 50 Democrats could provide enough votes to overcome a filibuster by other Republicans. The group also includes Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; Bill Cassidy of Louisiana; Mitt Romney of Utah; Rob Portman of Ohio; Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia; Todd Young of Indiana; Jerry Moran of Kansas; Mike Rounds of South Dakota; and Thom Tillis of North Carolina.

“Finally, we note that billions of dollars remain unspent from the previous COVID relief packages. Just last month, Congress provided $900 billion in additional resources, and communities are only now receiving much of that assistance,” the Republicans said. “Some of the spending appropriated through the CARES Act, passed last March, also has yet to be exhausted. The proposal we have outlined is mindful of these past efforts, while also acknowledging the priorities that need additional support right now.”

Republicans are seeking a more targeted plan for a Covid relief bill, their proposed bill costs a third of the Democrats bill and would provide assistance such as including $1,000 per person stimulus checks and $300 per week boosted unemployment benefits through June 30. However, if Biden and Republicans do come to a compromise somewhere between their proposals, it’s not ensured that plan would be able to garner support from all 50 Senate Democrats.



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