A bipartisan group of senators is urging the White House for more details on the $ 1.9 trillion bailout, with some suggesting to government officials on Sunday that President Biden should provide more information on how the money would be spent – and consider distribute its ambitious legislation. in smaller proposals.
Sixteen senators from both major parties and three senior White House aides met virtually on Sunday afternoon to discuss Mr. Biden’s US bailout plan. The one hour and 15 minute call was put up by moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
Mr. Biden’s proposed emergency plan includes $ 400 billion for slowing the spread of COVID-19 and increasing vaccine capacity; more than $ 1 trillion to help families in need of immediate financial support; and $ 440 billion in emergency funds for small businesses and low-budget communities.
Included in the package are $ 1,400 incentive vouchers that, combined with the recent round of $ 600 payments, bring the total relief to Americans to $ 2,000. The amount of direct aid to be sent to individuals was a major bottleneck in the negotiations on the aid package adopted at the end of 2020. Other financial support includes an expansion of unemployment insurance by $ 100, bringing the weekly total to $ 400, and an increase in the child tax. credit up to $ 3,000 per child.
Meeting attendees stressed that they are pushing the administration for more details on how quickly the vaccine can be distributed nationwide, saying it is an urgent priority.
“There was certainly a consensus that vaccination is the number one priority,” said Maine Senator Angus King, an independent. “And also testing and tracing, we cannot ignore that. But a consensus that we need to identify the bottlenecks, whether it be production, distribution, administration of the vaccine, and aggressive action. it is priority number one, and there was absolute consensus on that. “
Some participants indicated that they would like the Senate to work out a framework for a deal in the next two weeks – before the impeachment process of former President Trump begins February 8. But others said the impeachment process was not discussed. .
While some attendees called the meeting “productive” and a good first step, Republican Senator Susan Collins, who attended the meeting, called it “premature” to discuss legislative action of this magnitude and scope. She said she would propose a more “targeted” package, mainly focused on vaccine distribution.
Representatives at the call from both sides said they would urge the Biden administration to clarify how it calculated the potential federal aid needed for schools, states, and cities. Some senators are asking for more information about how aid can be provided to municipalities and states with little money.
King said there was “quite a bit of discussion about the data” to find out how the aid was calculated.
“In other words, they have, I think, $ 130 billion for education,” said King. ‘Where does that come from? What is the basis of it? And there were questions about that. Another kind of detailed question is: how much money is still in the pipeline? How much has been committed and paid for from the previous aid packages? ‘
Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who was also part of Sunday’s rally, said “more data would be helpful.”
She said there is a lot of debate about “targeted aid” to states, especially as she recognizes which states will have positive revenues and need less aid.
“The state and local needs are one of the things that is still a problem,” said Shaheen. “It was a problem because we tried to put together the last COVID package in December.”
But Shaheen called it a “really positive start”.
“The fact that we have a new government in less than a week and that they are reaching out to the bipartisan group of senators who were very important in getting the latest COVID aid package ready,” Shaeen said. “It was an opportunity to find out from the administration what is in the COVID package, and for us to ask questions and give our opinion.”
Congress has passed a $ 900 billion aid package in December, which several senators cited as they discussed Sunday’s appeal.
“Remember, we just passed a package worth nearly a trillion dollars less than three weeks ago,” said King. “So we need to know where that is in terms of implementation, how much has been distributed, how much is left, to what extent the money that has not been spent is justified in the new proposal.”