Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney hears during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Iran-US relations on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.
Al Drago | Bloomberg | Getty Images
WASHINGTON – A group of 10 Republican senators called on President Joe Biden to consider a smaller alternative Covid-19 relief proposal as his administration works to approve a $ 1.9 trillion package to deal with the consequences caused by the pandemic.
In a letter to Biden Sunday, Ms. Susan Collins of Maine, Mitt Romney of Utah, Rob Portman of Ohio, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and five other lawmakers said they would introduce their proposed legislation Monday.
“We recognize your calls for unity and want to work in good faith with your administration to address the health, economic and social challenges of the Covid crisis,” the senators wrote.
“With your support, we believe that Congress can once again develop a relief package that will provide effective and meaningful assistance to the American people and guide us toward recovery,” the group wrote requesting a meeting with Biden to such as to discuss the proposed legislation in more detail.
Republican senators explained that their version of Covid’s relief package provides “more specific assistance” to Americans in need. The proposed legislation calls for a total of $ 160 billion for the development and distribution of vaccines, testing and screening, treatment and other crucial supplies.
The senators set out the following details of their plan:
- An additional round of financial impact payments for families most in need of help, including their children and dependent adults.
- Extends improved federal unemployment benefits to the current level.
- Full funding of nutritional assistance to help families with problems.
- Additional resources to help small businesses and their employees through the Payroll Protection Program and the Economic Disaster Loan Program.
- It funds resources to open schools safely and for the care of children.
- It provides $ 4 billion to strengthen behavioral health and substance abuse services.
On Sunday, Portman told CNN’s “State of the Union” that the proposal would be a thinner version of what the Biden administration presented.
“It would be less than $ 1.9 [trillion] because much of what the administration has exposed has nothing to do with Covid-19, “Portman explained.” As an example, when it comes to direct payments, we think they should be much more specific, ”he added.
Brian Deese, director of the National Economic Council, told MSNBC on Sunday in “Meet the Press” that the White House had received the letter and was open to debating the proposed legislation.
“The president has repeatedly said he is open to ideas that come where they can go and that we can improve the approach to tackling this crisis. What is uncompromising is the need to continue with a holistic approach here,” Deese said.
“We have been collaborating with members of Congress from both parties and both chambers for the past week or two. We will continue to do so as we move forward,” he added.
Deese also told CNN’s “State of the Union” that the administration is willing to negotiate stimulus controls.
The Republican counter-proposal comes as the House approves a budget resolution this week, the first step in passing the relief bill through reconciliation. The process would allow Senate Democrats to pass an aid measure without Republican support.
New York Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer noted last week that the House would also work to pass a budget resolution soon. He said the Senate “will already start the process next week to consider a very strong Covid aid bill.”
When asked if Senate Democrats could pass the bailout bill through the reconciliation process, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders told ABC on “This Week” that he believed the party had the votes to do so. ho.
“I find it hard to imagine any Democrat, no matter what state he may come from, who doesn’t understand the need to move forward right now in an aggressive way to protect working families in this country,” Sanders said.
“Look we’ll all have differences of opinion, this is a $ 1.9 trillion bill, I have differences and concerns about this bill, but at the end of the day we will support the President of the United States and we will do what the American people want us to do in an overwhelming way, ”he added.
CNBC’s Jacob Pramuk, Tucker Higgins and Emma Newburger contributed to this report from New York.