Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker Nancy Pelosi indicated they will begin moving forward on a massive coronavirus package as soon as next week, with or without Republicans.
In separate remarks Thursday, the top two congressional Democrats said time is of the utmost importance as the virus continues to maintain its deadly — and potentially economically disastrous — grip on the U.S.
“We want it to be bipartisan always but we can’t surrender if they’re not going to be doing that,” Pelosi told reporters at her weekly press conference. “We cannot not have it happen, we have to act.”
Schumer said earlier Thursday morning that “only big bold action is called for,” given the slowdown in the economy. President Joe Biden has pitched a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan that would also raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, a package that most Republicans have already rejected.
Centrist lawmakers in both chambers have maintained that a bipartisan deal is possible if congressional leadership will make space for one to be negotiated. But senior Democrats are increasingly dismissive of the possibility.
Republicans complained that Democrats were looking to short-circuit Biden’s bipartisan approach too soon.
“That would be a big mistake this early on. And I think they ought to attempt to try to do it the other way,” said Senate Minority Whip John Thune.
If they can keep party unity, Democrats can approve coronavirus legislation without GOP support via budget reconciliation. And Schumer gave some of his strongest indications yet that this could happen soon, starting with passage of a budget resolution that unlocks reconciliation’s power.
“The Senate, as early as next week, will begin the process of considering a very strong Covid relief bill. Our preference is to make this important work bipartisan, to include input, ideas and revisions from our Republican colleagues,” Schumer said. “But if our Republican colleagues decide to oppose this urgent and necessary legislation, we will have to move forward without them.”
Schumer also said that slashing the package in a major way isn’t going to happen, contending that “to cut things dramatically at a time when the economy needs a boost would be irresponsible.”
Pelosi later expanded on that timeline, telling reporters that the House will return next week to pass a budget resolution. That measure will then be sent to the Senate, likely amended, and return to the House by the end of the week.
House Democratic leaders announced further changes to the chambers’ calendar earlier this week to allow the reconciliation process to advance with the goal of getting a bill passed before unemployment benefits expire in mid-March.
After passing a budget resolution next week, House committees will have two weeks to mark up their parts of a major coronavirus package before the chamber returns Feb. 22 for a floor vote.
Senate Democrats will speak with top Biden administration officials on Thursday about the path forward. Meanwhile, a bipartisan group of senators is continuing to meet, holding a discussion about coronavirus legislation on Wednesday evening.
Both Schumer and Pelosi maintain they’re still hoping for a bipartisan deal that doesn’t require the use of reconciliation but many Democrats are privately much more dismissive that will come together. Negotiators spent months haggling over the most recently passed $900 billion coronavirus relief package.
“I do think we have more leverage getting cooperation on the other side if they know we have an alternative,” Pelosi said Thursday.