Lawmakers look to head-off gridlock over Biden s COVID stimulus plan
Moderate lawmakers, many of whom played a pivotal role in brokering a bipartisan compromise during the last round of coronavirus relief negotiations, are expected to meet Sunday as President Joe Biden s administration attempts to pass an ambitious legislative agenda. Biden has proposed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan and several other significant proposals on immigration and infrastructure spending that will require congressional approval. But in a Senate split 50-50 between both parties, Democrats will need Republican votes in order to pass any major proposals at least ten Republican votes are needed to break a filibuster and advance any legislation, assuming all Democrats vote for the legislation. The group invited to a call with National Economic Council Director Brian Deese includes Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Angus King, I-Maine, Susan Collins, R-Maine, Mitt Romney, R-Utah, and Reps. J
Biden, Harris held COVID-19 memorial at reflecting pool on eve of inauguration
Caroline Brehman/AP
The National Mall is filled with a display of American flags, as seen during a rehearsal for the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 18, 2021. The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial are seen behind. (Caroline Brehman/Pool via AP)
and last updated 2021-01-19 17:41:13-05
WASHINGTON, D.C. â President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris spoke Tuesday evening at a COVID-19 memorial at the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool to honor the hundreds of thousands of lives lost in the U.S. to COVID-19 over the past year.