WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — President Joe Biden hopes to get his $1.9-trillion COVID relief package to the House and Senate floor soon.
“We have to get people well before we get people on their feet,” Biden said.
As Biden pushes to get his relief package across the finish line, Democrats say they are poised to make that happen.
“The Senate is moving full steam ahead on a bold plan to get this country out of a crisis,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
Schumer says the nearly $2-trillion plan will give the country a much-needed boost.
“[A boost] to speed vaccination distribution, provide a lifeline to small businesses, help schools reopen safely, save the job of teachers, firefighters, and other public employees, and so much more,” Schumer said,
However, Republicans are worried the American Rescue Plan will drain too many resources, leading to more problems for future generations.
“Before we borrow another almost $2 trillion from our grandchildren, I think we need to kind of see where that money lands,” U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) said.
Marshall says the bill isn’t focused enough.
“As opposed to just taking a shotgun and shooting it in the air, I’m very concerned that if we throw another $2 trillion, if we print another $2 trillion, it could cause more inflation and actually backfire on us,” Marshall said.
But the Biden administration says doing too little is the greater danger to the nation.
“The economic cost of inaction would be incredibly painful for the American people,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
Democrats say their goal is to get the bill passed by mid-March.
