“Part of what we’re asking for is more data -- where did you get the number?” questioned Senator Angus King, a Democratically-aligned Maine independent who participated in Deese’s call. King was referring to the potential cost of the package’s components, versus the total price-tag.
The discussion, due to feature 16 Senate Democrats and Republicans, additionally included the leaders of a bipartisan group of House centrists. Participants characterized it as an initial outreach by the White House as President Joe Biden seeks what would be the second-largest emergency spending bill ever.
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The call is the latest challenge Biden faces in enacting Covid economic stimulus, his top legislative priority.
There was bipartisan support for funding for distributing Covid-19 vaccines and for coronavirus testing and tracing, according to three aides familiar with the discussions. Republicans including GOP Senator Roy Blunt of Missouri, who had expressed skepticism last week about the need for another big relief package, said they at the same time were open to looking at money for the vaccines.
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One idea floated was to split off a package for vaccines and testing, though the White House officials on the call didn’t offer support for that, according to one aide, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
An element of bipartisan discussion was how to better target a future round of direct payments to people who most need it.
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King said that while it’s notable that the administration is seeking bipartisan support for its plan, the option of going ahead just with a Democratic bill “I’m sure will be under intense discussion at the White House.”
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Republican Senator Mitt Romney of Utah, scheduled to be on the call, earlier deemed the proposed price-tag “shocking” on the heels of the December bill.
“It’s important that we don’t borrow trillions of dollars from the Chinese for things that may not be absolutely necessary,” Romney said in a separate interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
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GOP Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota questioned elements in the plan, including a proposed increase to the federal minimum wage.
“If you’re going to talk about an emergency operation, why would you then include and demand that [minimum wage hikes] be a part of it?” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “That’s just looking for a way to not get some things done.”
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The U.S. economy remains millions of jobs short of pre-pandemic levels, with the national jobless rate at 6.7% in December after the first decline in non-farm payrolls since April.
Forecasters surveyed by Bloomberg News say the economy could expand at a 4.1% pace this year, driving the unemployment rate down to 6%. More optimistic forecasts are contingent on ample supply and efficient distribution of the coronavirus vaccine.
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