Here are two ways a pandemic relief bill could pass Peter W. Stevenson, The Washington Post Feb. 2, 2021 FacebookTwitterEmail Two paths have emerged for the next round of potential coronavirus relief - testing President Joe Biden's stated desire to reach across the aisle to get legislation passed and setting up Democrats to find out how united their slim Senate majority is. Major bills require 60 votes to pass in the Senate; that's why Biden on Monday met with a group of 10 GOP senators who have a $618 billion counterproposal, a package less than a third the size he is seeking. The two sides remain far apart in their proposals, but there are signals that they might be willing to negotiate.