The Senate advanced a $1.9 trillion spending package on Thursday after working out a deal that preserved the bill’s bonus jobless pay while curbing stimulus checks for high-income earners.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Thursday he planned to finish debate and pass the bill this week, but Senate Republicans plan to drag out the process by requiring the Senate clerk to read the bill’s hundreds of pages, which could take up to 10 hours.
Republicans also plan a barrage of amendments targeting what GOP lawmakers say is wasteful spending unrelated to the pandemic.
The bill is broad in scope, providing a new round of $1,400 stimulus checks and $400 in weekly bonus jobless pay until late August.
The bill would also provide states and local governments $350 billion and schools $150 billion.
President Biden sent the spending proposal to Congress as soon as he was sworn into office, calling it a top priority for helping the nation cope with the continued effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Schumer criticized the GOP over the planned delays by Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican who has organized GOP lawmakers to remain on the floor in shifts so that Senate Democrats can’t cut off the clerk’s reading of the bill.
“We all know this will merely delay the inevitable,” Schumer said. “It will accomplish little more than a few sore throats for the Senate clerks, who work very hard, day-in, day-out, to help the Senate function. Still, we are delighted that the senator from Wisconsin wants to give the American people another opportunity to hear what’s in the American Rescue Plan.”
The House passed the measure last week but will have to vote again on the Senate-passed version. The Senate bill no longer includes a provision to lift the minimum wage to $15 per hour.
The Senate version also would also reduce the stimulus check income cutoff for individuals from $100,000 to $80,000. For couples, the income cut off for receiving checks would shrink from $200,000 to $160,000.
Democrats plan to pass the bill under special rules that prevent Republicans from blocking it. Instead of requiring 60 votes, the measure can pass with only 51 votes.
