A) The House Budget Committee meets at 1 pm et today to begin crafting its special budget reconciliation measure this week to handle the $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid bill.
Think of this first measure as the “shell” to handle the actual bill.
Think of this first measure as the “shell” to handle the actual bill.
B) We expect the measure to go to the House Rules Committee tomorrow and then come up for debate and vote in the House late this week or over the weekend.
C) Republicans are seizing on how a sizable portion of the plan has little of anything to do with actually addressing the pandemic - be it from a health or economic perspective. Democrats will likely have to go it alone in both the House and Senate to approve this measure.
D) But it’s not out of the question for them to pluck off a GOPer or two in either body to vote yes.
The Senate won’t tackle the initial version of the reconciliation plan until next week at the earliest. The House is poised to get the bill back from the Senate early next week.
The Senate won’t tackle the initial version of the reconciliation plan until next week at the earliest. The House is poised to get the bill back from the Senate early next week.
E) An amendment deadline for the final House plan is set for this Thursday. The House would then presumably vote on the bill itself in the middle of next week with the Senate following.
Watch for this: Does Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough rule the $15 out of order
Watch for this: Does Senate Parliamentarian Elizabeth MacDonough rule the $15 out of order
F) The House and Senate are using special budget reconciliation rules to advance the coronavirus bill because it can skirt a filibuster. But the catch is that the bill can’t include policy provisions nor add to the deficit over an extended period.
G) Provisions like the minimum wage could run afoul of both requirements listed above. Thus, House liberals will likely get to vote for the minimum wage in the first package. But then must make a judgment call if it is stripped from the Senate package.
H) House Democrats can only lose five votes and pass a bill on their own without needing Republican assistance.
Even if MacDonough rules that the minimum wage provision is in order, Senate Democrats may lack the votes to pass the measure on their own.
Even if MacDonough rules that the minimum wage provision is in order, Senate Democrats may lack the votes to pass the measure on their own.
I) Sens. Kysten Sinema (D-AZ) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) oppose raising the minimum wage in this bill. Without Republican support, all 50 Senate Democrats must stick together and potentially have Vice President Harris break the tie.
J) The goal is to have both bodies pass the bill by early March. That’s just before some forms of aid approved in December are set to expire
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
