President Biden assured Senate Democrats he told Republicans in a White House meeting Monday night their $600 billion aid package is “way too small.”
Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen held a virtual meeting with Senate Democrats Tuesday, and, according to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, pledged to the caucus he had no plans to scale back his $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package to the narrow GOP plan.
“It’s his belief and Secretary Yellen’s belief if we did a package that small, we’d be mired in the COVID crisis for years,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.
Biden’s comments to the caucus follow a meeting with 10 Republican lawmakers at the White House on Monday.
Republicans said after meeting with Biden they expected bipartisan talks to continue. Republicans are seeking a more narrow package that dedicates money to stopping the virus and providing new stimulus checks to the neediest.
But Democrats are gearing up to pass the much bigger Biden measure without any GOP support using a budgetary tactic called reconciliation.
The Senate will take up a budget resolution this afternoon that paves the way for using the tactic. It will allow Senate Democrats to pass the aid package with only 51 votes, instead of 60.
“I believe we will pass the resolution this afternoon,” Schumer told reporters.
Schumer dismissed claims by the GOP that Biden told them he would try to delay the Senate reconciliation process to provide more time for bipartisan negotiations.
“We are moving forward under reconciliation,” Schumer said. “That is what President Biden wants us to do, and that is what we are doing.”
Schumer also downplayed Biden’s willingness to work with the GOP on the aid package.
“President Biden said he told Republicans he’s willing to make some modifications,” Schumer said. “But he’s very strong that the full ‘American Rescue Plan,’ get through, to get us through this crisis.”
