Topline
Despite his past reservations about the size and scope of Biden’s $1.9 trillion stimulus proposal, Senator Joe Machin (D-W.Va.) announced Tuesday that he will vote to move forward with a special budget process that will allow Democrats to pass much of the plan without any Republican votes.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) questions nominee for Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough at his … [+]
Key Facts
Manchin’s support will be critical for Democrats this week: because the party’s majority in the Senate is so slim, with Vice President Kamala Harris casting the vote in a 50-50 tie, the party will need every Democratic senator to vote in favor of Biden’s plan to pass it.
Under normal Senate rules, 60 votes (and the support of 10 Republicans) would be required for the legislation to pass, but under the reconciliation process, Democrats can pass the legislation with a simple majority of 51 votes.
Last week, Harris’ comments during an interview on local West Virginia television were widely interpreted as an attempt to pressure Manchin into supporting Biden’s rescue plan.
Manchin reiterated Tuesday that he does not support every element of Biden’s sweeping plan, telling reporters that he opposes a national $15 per hour minimum wage.
Manchin has also suggested that the stimulus check provision in Biden’s proposal should be more narrowly targeted to those who have actually lost income during the pandemic, as opposed to using the same qualifying income level as the last rounds of stimulus checks.
Crucial Quote
“I will vote to move forward with the budget process because we must address the urgency of the COVID-19 crisis,” Manchin said. “But let me be clear – and these are words I shared with President Biden – our focus must be targeted on the COVID-19 crisis and Americans who have been most impacted by this pandemic.” Manchin also signaled his opposition to using budget reconciliation for non-emergency measures: “I will only support proposals that will get us through and end the pain of this pandemic,” he said.
Tangent
On Monday evening, Biden met with a group of ten Senate Republicans led by Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) who this week introduced a pared-back, $618 billion alternative plan—less than a third of the size of Biden’s. The smaller plan would scale back stimulus checks, federal unemployment benefits, and school funding and omit any new aid for state, local and tribal governments. It does not include a provision to raise the national minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Further Reading
Republican Gov. Jim Justice Adds Pressure On Manchin To Pass Stimulus: Not The Time To Be ‘Fiscally Responsible’ (Forbes)
Democrats Take First Step To Push Biden Stimulus Plan Through Congress Over GOP Objections (Forbes)
New Details Of $618 Billion GOP Stimulus Plan Released As Schumer Blasts ‘Take-It-Or-Leave-It’ Offer (Forbes)
Bernie Sanders Says Democrats Can’t Break Stimulus Check Promises As GOP Pushes Smaller Compromise Bill (Forbes)
