President Biden invited a group of Republican senators to the White House in the hope of reinvigorating a bipartisan deal on another coronavirus relief package.
Biden extended the invitation Sunday after 10 Republican senators sent him a letter outlining a $600 billion counterproposal to his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan.
Biden had already spoken to one of the senators, Susan Collins of Maine, and offered to host the group at the White House “early this week for a full exchange of views,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.
“With the virus posing a grave threat to the country, and economic conditions grim for so many, the need for action is urgent, and the scale of what must be done is large,” Psaki wrote in a statement.
The other Republican senators are Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Todd Young of Indiana.
The group’s framework includes $160 billion for COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution, testing and tracing, and treatment and supplies, such as the production and deployment of personal protective equipment.
“Our proposal also includes economic relief for those Americans with the greatest need, providing more targeted assistance than in the administration’s plan,” they wrote.
They added, “Our plan also includes extending enhanced federal unemployment benefits at the current level and fully funding your request for nutrition assistance to help struggling families.”
Senate Republicans have been irked by the White House and congressional Democrats’ lack of outreach regarding Biden’s measure. This week House and Senate Democrats will lay the groundwork for passing the American Rescue Plan by a budgetary procedure known as reconciliation. Reconciliation requires a simple majority, and Democrats can muster 51 votes in the Senate with the help of Vice President Kamala Harris.
“It is not in the interests of the Democratic Party to do that in my view because it will set President Biden down a path of partisanship that I think will poison the well for other bipartisanship we’ll need on so many issues,” Sen. Rob Portman said in an interview Sunday.
Psaki downplayed the need for an in-person meeting at the White House between Biden and key lawmakers on Tuesday.
“I know that would make for excellent television and quite a dramatic moment here at the White House. But he is in close touch, as our team is,” she said. “But our view is that a lot of those conversations should happen one-on-one, should happen in small groups, and that’s the most productive way to move this bill forward.”
