Democrats Face Crucial Test in Passing $1.9 Trillion Covid-19 Relief Bill

Strategic Insights -

As Democrats push to pass their sweeping $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill before unemployment benefits lapse, they face mounting challenges in the House and Senate. The bill, which includes a federal minimum wage increase to $15 an hour, is expected to undergo significant changes in the Senate, where Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona has vowed to oppose the measure unless it's dropped. Meanwhile, the Utah Republican Party has signaled its support for Sen. Mitt Romney, who voted to convict former President Donald Trump, setting a contrast with other state parties that have censured GOP lawmakers who did the same.

Key Takeaways:

  • The House Budget Committee will finalize the bill based on the sections passed by committees last week, aiming to get the caucus on board and pass the bill as soon as next week.
  • House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faces a five-vote margin on the bill, with scrutiny from even some Democrats, making it a complicated and intense process.
  • Senate Democrats are not in complete unity, with changes to the House bill expected to happen in the Senate, rather than in a formal committee markup.
  • The minimum wage fight is a major hurdle, with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema opposing the $15 an hour increase, which is a requirement for passing the relief bill in the Senate.
  • The Utah Republican Party has signaled support for Sen. Mitt Romney, who voted to convict Trump, in contrast to other state parties that have censured GOP lawmakers who did the same.
  • The Biden administration is intensifying its vaccination efforts, with a seven-day average of 1.6 million doses per day, but vaccine hesitancy, particularly among Republicans, is a growing concern.
  • A new Axios/Ipsos poll finds that 63% of adults say they have had or are likely to get a Covid-19 vaccination as soon as it's made available, but trust in vaccines is splitting along partisan lines, with 74% of Democrats and 51% of Republicans likely to get vaccinated.

Statistics:

  • The $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill includes a federal minimum wage increase to $15 an hour.
  • The House Budget Committee will finalize the bill based on the sections passed by committees last week.
  • The Senate is expected to undergo significant changes in the bill, including the minimum wage increase, before voting on it.
  • 1.6 million doses per day is the current seven-day average of vaccinations in the US.
  • 63% of adults are likely to get a Covid-19 vaccination as soon as it's made available, according to a new Axios/Ipsos poll.
  • 74% of Democrats and 51% of Republicans are likely to get vaccinated, with Independents at 61%.

Sources:

  • CNN's Lauren Fox: "The immediate obstacles. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has a five-vote margin on this bill, and scrutiny on the package -- even by some Democrats -- is more intense than last spring's stimulus."
  • Axios/Ipsos poll: "63% of adults say they have had or are likely to get a Covid-19 vaccination as soon as it's made available."
  • CNN's David Chalian: "Biden's presidency gets going" and discusses the stimulus negotiations.
  • CNN's Dana Bash, David Chalian, John King, and Abby Phillip: Will host a #CitizenCNN event on Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET to discuss post-impeachment Washington and Biden's next moves.