Feb. 1, 2021 10:14 am Ten Senate Republicans are slated to meet with Joe Biden today to discuss their new COVID package, which comes in around 1.4 trillion dollars cheaper: POLITICO – Senate Republicans Monday morning unveiled their $618 billion counterproposal to President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief plan, ahead of a meeting between 10 GOP senators and Biden about whether they can work together. The proposal would provide $160 billion for testing, vaccines and personal protective equipment, extend the $300 weekly unemployment insurance payments until July and provide $1,000 checks to lower-income Americans, according to a draft framework. Those checks would begin phasing out much earlier than Biden’s plan and would be capped at $100,000 for joint filers. Dependents and children would receive an additional $500 each. People in both parties have complained that the $1,400 checks from Biden should not go to higher-income families.