Republicans Fail To Convince Biden To Reduce Stimulus Bill, Abandon $1,400 Checks

President Joe Biden has urged Congressional Democrats to move forward with his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill a day after 10 moderate Republicans tried, apparently unsuccessfully, to convince him to scale back his stimulus efforts.

The confirmation of Biden’s strategy came on a call that included many of the key players in forming the bill, including Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.

While Biden and Congressional Democrats reiterated their openness to Republican support, they will now move forward through budget reconciliation. That procedural measure would allow them to pass the bill with only a majority of votes, making Republican support unnecessary.

“The president’s commitment is to urgently deliver relief to the American people, and that’s what he’s conveyed in every meeting he’s had or engagement he’s had with Democrats and Republicans,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Republicans raised alarm at the news, accusing Biden of going back on promises to unite the country and move on from the partisan vitriol that marked the Trump administration.

“It’s not a good signal that [Schumer] is adopting a take-it-or-leave-it approach right after his president delivers an inaugural address based on unity,” said Sen. Todd Young of Indiana, who had spoken with Biden the day before.

Biden's bill is almost four times larger than the framework Republicans presented him with. It extends $1,400 checks, $400 unemployment assistance through September, and aid for state and local governments.

Republicans had requested only $1,000 checks, $300 unemployment assistance through June, a lower income cap for checks, and no assistance for smaller governments.

Biden specifically cautioned against overly conservative aid guidelines in his phone call, noting that people like nurses and pipe layers need help and would be left out of a laser-focused outline such as the Republicans proposed. He also waved away Republican concerns about the budget.

“I think it is his belief, it is Secretary Yellen’s belief, it is our belief, that if we did a package that small, we’d be mired in the covid crisis for years,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.