Republicans Propose Cheaper Coronavirus Stimulus Relief Package

President Biden has signaled he’d like to reach a bipartisan agreement over the next Covid stimulus relief package. Last night, he met with 10 Republicans to discuss a possible way forward that could satisfy everyone. Republicans recently introduced their own bill that comes to over $600 billion. This is significantly less than Biden’s $1.9 trillion package. While there are some areas Democrats and Republicans agree on, there are still ongoing debates. The Republican plan wants to reduce individual stimulus checks from $1,400 to $1,000, as well as restrict the number of American families who would qualify. If a compromise can be reached, there will be enough votes to overcome a potential filibuster by other Republicans. President Biden is doing his best to appease both sides but his White House Press Secretary said ultimately he “will not slow down work on this urgent crisis response, and will not settle for a package that fails to meet the moment.” Democrats may forgo bipartisan support through a process called budget reconciliation to push their bill through.