Moving a big stimulus package through the Democratic-controlled House is the easy part. The Senate is where things get tricky.
That’s why House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer having initiated the reconciliation process this week is a critical step for Democrats if they plan to push through a bill similar to President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion relief proposal. Biden’s plan would send most Americans a $1,400 stimulus check.
Normally to pass legislation in the Senate it requires 60 votes to bypass a filibuster from the opposition. But in a 50-50 split Senate chamber—where many Republicans are already voicing opposition to Biden’s proposal—getting 60 votes is unlikely. However, Democrats can bypass the filibuster if they use a procedure called budget reconciliation. Budget reconciliation is a process first established in 1974 that allows certain bills related to things like spending and debt to pass quickly in Congress merely with a majority. It’s what Republicans used in 2017 to pass their tax cuts without Democratic support.
Even if Republicans oppose Biden’s proposal, Democrats could still move to pass their package if they use reconciliation and all 50 Democratic senators vote for the economic aid bill. Then it would require Vice President Kamala Harris’s tiebreaking vote to send it to Biden’s desk.
Still, as Democrats are moving forward with the reconciliation process, a group of 10 Republican senators released a $618 billion relief proposal on Monday, which includes a $1,000 stimulus check—smaller than the $1,400 checks pushed being pushed by the White House. Though Democrats appear set on larger checks like the $1,400 in Biden’s plan, the White House is open to lowering the income thresholds for this round, the Washington Post reported.
Biden met with some of those Senate Republicans this week, but doubled down on his plans to go for a large package—even if it means not having GOP backing. He plans to meet with Senate Democrats on Wednesday to discuss the package.
The fact Democratic leaders have already started the process to use reconciliation makes it clear Democratic leadership plans to push for a large relief bill—including items like state and local government funding, which many Republicans have previously opposed (and omitted from their recent proposal). It’s likely the $1.9 trillion package proposed by Biden will be used as the framework for the final package. Still, whatever bill Democrats put on the floor will likely need every Democratic vote, including that of moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.
While Democrats hope to pass something in the coming weeks, the timetable is uncertain. If a deal does come, the Treasury Department would likely follow the same timeline as the December 2020 package and get those stimulus checks deposited just a few days after the legislation passes.
