Republicans had been 100% ignored by China Joe and the Democrats in Congress in crafting a COVID relief package, so, they came up with their own. China Joe has agreed to talk with them. How long till he dismisses the plan out of hand? First, the plan
10 Republican senators agree to meet with Biden to talk COVID-19 relief
A group of 10 Republican senators announced late Sunday that they accepted an invitation from President Biden to visit the White House to discuss the next steps in the COVID-19 relief proposal.
Reports have indicated that these Republicans—many who are considered moderates within the party— initiated the contact with the hope of talking Biden down from the $1.9 trillion relief package he has in mind. These Republicans have expressed concern over another massive package weeks after former President Trump approved a $900 billion measure, NPR reported.
Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who is among ten Republican senators who proposed an alternative $600 billion coronavirus relief package, told Fox News on Sunday, “If you say you want bipartisanship … and then you have a budget reconciliation which is chock-full of payouts to Democratic constituency groups … you don’t want bipartisanship, you want the patina of bipartisanship.”
Let’s take a quick look what else Cassidy said (it’s that last link)
“The President’s team did not reach out to anybody in our group, either Democrat or Republican when they fashioned their proposal,” Cassidy said. “So if you want unity, if you want bipartisanship, you ought to start with a group that’s shown it’s willing to work together for a common solution. They did not.”
So, here’s China Joe
The White House issued a statement obtained by Fox News that said Biden spoke with Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and invited her and the other signers “to come to the White House early this week for a full exchange of views.â€
Expect the plan from the 10 Republicans … Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska; Cassidy; Mitt Romney, R-Utah; Rob Portman, R-Ohio; Shelley Moore Capito, R-Wyo.; Todd Young, R-Ind.; Jerry Moran, R-Kan.; Mike Rounds, R-S.D.; and Thom Tillis, R-N.C….. to be dismissed out of hand by Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer, who’ll take the heat rather than putting it on Biden.
It is a much smaller plan, and also much more targeted
(The Hill) Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said on Sunday that the framework for a COVID-19 economic relief package unveiled by 10 Republican senators would cost $600 billion, less than half the price of the Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion proposal.
Cassidy said on “Fox News Sunday” that the pared-down GOP proposal unveiled earlier Sunday includes $1,000 direct payments to individuals that would be targeted to certain income levels. He did not specify if the GOP’s threshold would be those who made under $75,000 in the 2019 tax year. President Biden’s proposal includes a third round of direct payments of $1,400.
Funding for schools is also slashed in the GOP package, which Cassidy said offers $20 billion instead of Biden’s $170 billion. Cassidy noted previous COVID-19 relief proposals that funded schools and the notion that assisting public schools would help teachers unions that are skeptical of whether returning to in-person teaching is safe.
Cassidy said one area of agreement is vaccinations, with the 10 GOP senators agreeing to match the White House’s $160 billion figure to distribute and administer shots.
Unlike the Democrats proposal, it is not a a porkalapalooza, and it also avoids the massive payouts to irresponsible Democrat run cities and states
(Axios) Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) shot back at the plan via an interview with the New York Daily News, saying: “They should negotiate with us, not make a take-it-or-leave-it offer.”
Negotiate on what? Democrats crafted their plan without Republicans, and were talking about using budget reconciliation from the get go. Are Dems willing to remove the payouts to Dem groups, states, and cities?
