Biden snubs Republicans’ $600 billion COVID relief plan after Oval Office meeting: President says he will ‘not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment’ as Democrats try to muscle their $1.9trillion bill through Congress
- President Joe Biden held a two-hour meeting with Senate Republicans
- The two sides did not come together on a compromise COVID relief package
- Biden warned afterward he was willing to pass the measure without GOP help
- The White House said Biden would not ‘settle’ for less spending
- GOP proposed $600 billion but Biden wants $1.9 trillion
- Biden ‘will not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment,’ WH said
- Republican Senator Susan Collins said afterward it was a ‘cordial’ meeting
- ‘It was a very good exchange of the views, I wouldn’t say that we came together on a package tonight,’ she said
- Ahead of White House meeting, Dem leaders dropped plan to let Biden pass his $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan without any Republican support
- Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer released their plan ahead of Biden’s meeting with Republican senators at the White House about their compromise proposal
- Dem plan would allow legislation to pass with simple majority in Senate
- It would also allow the Senate to pass the budget and COVID relief before Donald Trump’s impeachment trial begins next week
- Republicans have protested, saying it goes against Biden’s call for unity
Joe Biden warned Senate Republicans he would not ‘settle’ for their smaller COVID proposal in a sign the president was willing to pass a relief package without their help. President Biden held a two-hour meeting with a group of 10 Republican senators in the Oval Office on Monday night but the two sides did not come together on a compromise measure. In a statement after the meeting, the White House indicated it was willing to move forward with a plan from Democratic congressional leaders to pass coronavirus relief without Republican support through a legislative process known as ‘reconciliation.’ And, the White House warned, Biden would not ‘settle’ for a measure that was not large enough – echoing talking points Democrats have pushed, saying more relief was needed for Americans suffered the economic fallout from the pandemic. The president ‘reiterated that while he is hopeful that the Rescue Plan can pass with bipartisan support, a reconciliation package is a path to achieve that end,’ White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement. ‘The President also made clear that the American Rescue Plan was carefully designed to meet the stakes of this moment, and any changes in it cannot leave the nation short of its pressing needs.’ ‘He reiterated, however, that he will not slow down work on this urgent crisis response, and will not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment,’ she added. The 10 Republican senators proposed a compromise plan that is about one-third of what Biden wants to spend, clocking in at $600 billion for coronavirus relief. He wants a $1.9 trillion package. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who has taken the lead for Republicans on the COVID relief issue, called it a ‘productive cordial two-hour meeting’ with the president. But, she noted, there was no deal. ‘It was a very good exchange of the views. I wouldn’t say that we came together on a package tonight. No one expected that in a two-hour meeting, but what we did agree to do is to follow up and talk further at the staff level and amongst ourselves, and with the president and vice president on how we can continue to work together on this very important issue,’ she told reporters after it ended.
The lack of an announcement of the deal is an indication Biden doesn’t need one – and he knows it.
Shortly before his meeting with GOP senators began, Democratic Congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer gave Biden an out. They introduced their budget proposal, which included a way for the president to pass his $1.9 trillion COVID relief plan without any Republican support.
Pelosi and Schumer’s resolution contains a provision for a process called ‘reconciliation’ – a legislative procedure that allows them to prevent the use of the filibuster in the Senate and lets the legislation pass with a simply majority of 51 votes. With an even 50-50 split in the upper chamber and Vice President Kamala Harris the tie breaker,
Biden would be able to get his $1.9 trillion plan without any Republicans on board. Republicans have protested such a move, saying it goes against Biden’s call for unity. Allowing passage by a simple majority would also allow the Senate to deal with the federal budget and coronavirus relief before Donald Trump’s impeachment trial begins next week.