Senate plans to amend $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus bill

The $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan faces a potential wood chipper in the Senate as lawmakers consider making changes to the massive bill.

The House passed the bill on Friday, sending it to the Senate where it could be introduced next week. Leaders want the bill to become law by mid-March, with the responsibility of getting it through Congress quickly.

But before Senate Democrats can pass the bill, they will have to go through a multi-hour voting session known as vote-a-rama, during which any senator can propose an amendment. Any changes will require the return of the coronavirus relief package to the House.

“There are discussions about a slightly different approach to some of these provisions … [But] we do not want to derail reconciliation, ”said the senator. Dick durbinDick Durbin Headwinds from Partisans Threaten Capitol Riot Commission Murkowski Undecided on Tanden as Appointment in Limbo Democrats Ask FBI for Plans to Tackle Domestic Extremism After Capitol Attack READ MORE (D-Ill.), Referring to the budget process Democrats use to advance legislation. “We want to do something that is politically feasible with the cooperation of the House.”

His. John cornynJohn Cornyn Politics, Not Racism or Sexism, Explains Opposition to Cabinet Candidates Biden Biden Pledges to Support Texas Amid Recurring Winter Storm Partisan Headwinds Threaten Capitol Riot Commission MORE (R-Texas), asked what to expect from Republicans, added that “I think people are keen to have a chance to set the markers and make their point.”

As action in the Senate is normally tightly controlled, the ramas vote represents one of the few chances that senators have to force votes. A previous vote-a-rama earlier this month on the budget resolution – which revived the COVID-19 relief bill – drew more than 800 amendments, with debate starting in the afternoon and lasting until 5 am.

But most of the amendments during this debate were non-binding, which made it little more than a political message. The stakes are raised in the upcoming debate, as any successful amendment would change the bill and force it back to the lower house.

“I think you got a little insight, but the budget resolution is not a law… and it will be so I think you can expect a robust amendment process,” Cornyn said.

An 11-hour curve is what the Senate ends up doing on the federal minimum wage after the parliamentarian ruled the wording of the increase to $ 15 an hour violated obscure budget rules that determine which can be included in the relief bill.

The House left the wording for the $ 15 minimum wage in place, even though it will be deleted in the Senate. Democrats are scrambling to see if they can squeeze wording into the bill that would effectively push big business to implement a minimum wage of $ 15 an hour.

The idea was supported by the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenHouse Democrats Pass .9T COVID-19 Relief Bill with Minimum Wage Rise House to Vote Tight on COVID-19 Relief Plan On The Money: Democrats scramble to save the minimum wage hike Personal incomes rise, inflation remains low after the burst of stimulus MORE (D-Ore.) And Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee Bernie sandersBernie SandersHouse Democrats pass .9T COVID-19 relief bill with minimum wage hike House to vote tight on COVID-19 relief program On The Money: Democrats scramble to save the increase in the minimum wage | Personal incomes rise, inflation remains low after the burst of stimulus MORE (I-Vt.), And a Democratic aide said the majority leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerThe Strange Story of Hillicon Valley Filibuster: Biden Signs Chip Order | Hearing on media disinformation | Facebook’s deal with Australia | CIA Candidate on SolarWinds House Rules Publishes New Text of COVID-19 Relief Bill READ MORE (DN.Y.) “seeks to” add it to the coronavirus relief bill.

Democrat Sens. Joe manchinJoseph (Joe) Manchin Progress sinks into Senate setbacks Politics, not racism or sexism, explains opposition to Biden cabinet candidates House Democrats pass .9T COVID-19 relief bill with an increase in the minimum wage PLUS (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Arizona), who opposed increasing the minimum wage by $ 15 an hour, have yet to weigh in.

Further bipartisan discussions on making additional changes to the package are ongoing.

His. Susan collinsSusan Margaret CollinsCollins Urges Biden To Review Canada-U.S. Border Order Limits Media Circles Wagons For Conspiracy Theorist Neera Tanden Why The ‘Never-Trumpers’ Flopped MORE (R-Maine) said she was speaking with Democrats about potential amendments, such as increasing the income threshold for Americans to receive stimulus payments, with those earning more than $ 200,000 receiving a partial check.

Durbin, when asked about the comments, added “this is one of the topics the bipartisan group of senators has raised from the start.”

During the budget vote, a bipartisan group of senators tabled an amendment to express support for ensuring that “high income taxpayers are not eligible.” The non-binding amendment was finally adopted by a vote of 99 votes to 1.

Under the coronavirus bill, people earning up to $ 75,000 and couples earning up to $ 150,000 would receive a check for $ 1,400. After that, the amount of the check is reduced until it is completely eliminated for people earning $ 100.00 or married couples earning $ 200,000.

Several members of the same group of senators also tabled an amendment to the budget resolution that supported capping federal unemployment compensation at $ 300 per week. The House bill caps the payment at $ 400 per week.

Although six Democratic senators co-sponsored the amendment to the budget resolution, it is not clear whether there would be enough support to secure a similar change in the coronavirus bill – a move that would arouse fury among progressives in both chambers.

His. Jon testerJonathan (Jon) Tester Democrats are reluctant to raise taxes amid pandemic Jennifer Palmieri: ‘Since I learned about politics I wanted to be in politics’ Democrats stuck on minimum wage MORE (D-Mont), one of the budget amendment’s cosponsors, said he was in favor of $ 400 a week and had yet to consider how the House bill processed stimulus checks.

Asked about the possibility of bipartisan support to lower the weekly payout cap, Collins noted that “there had been general consensus on this at one point.”

Schumer urged members of the Senate Democratic caucus to suggest potential changes to the bill so that they can be incorporated into legislation before it is passed in the House. Although Democrats initially did not propose changes to the budget resolution, they ended up supporting dozens of them.

“Please continue to provide comments and ideas to my office and to Senate committees on the bill.” We have already incorporated many of your suggestions, as well as a number of bipartisan proposals, into the bill and the Senate is on track to send a solid $ 1.9 trillion package to the President’s office. Schumer wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter.

Republicans, meanwhile, are planning their own potential changes, after scoring big wins in the budget vote, and may support amendments to water down the legislation even if all 50 GOP senators are expected to vote against the bill. final.

“Thinking strategically and tactically, I guess you almost have to ask yourself ‘do you want to improve it’, and I think you do,” Sen said. Kevin cramerKevin John CramerOn The Money: Manhattan DA Gets Trump’s Tax Returns | Biden candidate lays out post-Trump trade agenda | Biden faces first setback as Tanden rocks OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms former Michigan Gov. Granholm as energy secretary | GOP Bill Would Codify Trump’s Rule on Fossil Fuel and Gun Funding | Kennedy apologizes for calling Haaland a “ whack job ”. GOP Bill Would Codify Trump’s Rule on Fossil Fuel Funding, Firearms MORE (RN.D.) to support the changes while opposing the entire bill.

His. Todd youngTodd Christopher YoungGraham: Trump will be ‘useful’ to all GOP incumbents in Senate Biden signs supply chain order after ‘positive’ meeting with lawmakers Republican 2024 hopes draw lines early battle for the post-Trump era MORE (R-Ind.) And Cotton TomTom Bryant CottonSunday Shows Preview: 2024 Hopes Come Together at CPAC; House passes coronavirus relief; vaccination effort continues The Memo: CPAC kicks off 2024 Democrats scramble to save minimum wage hike READ MORE (R-Ark.) Gained bipartisan support for an amendment in the budget vote to support not giving stimulus checks to undocumented immigrants – although Democratic leaders argued that this would also have had an impact on family members in the United States legally.

Young suggested lawmakers were trying to fix the issue in the House to avoid an amendment vote in the Senate, but that if that didn’t work, he would propose the same amendment to the coronavirus bill that had previously gained support. of eight Democrats.

“I guess this is a political protection effort,” he said of efforts to address the issue in the House. “But if it promotes good public policy, I’m all for it.