Sen. Chuck Schumer | Facebook
Sen. Chuck Schumer | Facebook
The U.S. Senate approved a budget resolution that would allow President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill to be passed without Republican support.
The resolution passed with a 51-50 vote after every Republican voted no and Vice President Kamala Harris voted as the tie-breaker.
“I am so thankful that our caucus stayed together in unity. We had no choice given the problems facing America and the desire to move forward,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor in Washington after the vote, The Epoch Times reported.
Schumer said they were thankful to Biden for putting the plan together with input from other Democrats.
“This was a giant first step, a step in concord, and we’re so grateful that President Biden put together a plan with input from so many of us, both sides of the aisle, to bring America back to overcome this horrible crisis,” Schumer said, The Epoch Times reported.
It was almost impossible for Democrats to convince 10 Republican senators to support the $1.9 trillion package, hence their push for a budget reconciliation that allows them to approve the budget with no backup from the Republicans.
The budget resolution was jointly introduced by Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Monday. House Representatives voted 218-212 with no Republican voting in favor of it. They will however have to vote again following the amended resolution. If it is approved, the House representatives will have to craft a relief bill.
Part of Biden’s budget package includes a new round of stimulus checks, a minimum wage increase and $130 billion toward schools among other things.
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