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3 Mar, 6 tweets, 3 min read
NEW —> Democrats confront a harsh political choice: Save the filibuster or pass Biden's agenda

Covid aid is on track to pass. But many of his other big plans are headed for a fatal crash with the 60-vote rule.

Progressives are agitating to destroy it.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Warren on the filibuster: “The piece in front of us right now is the minimum wage. The piece that's coming up is the Voting Rights Act. And the piece after that is immigration reform. And another piece is universal child care. The infrastructure package.” nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Biden’s filibuster position hasn’t changed, per White House official who points me to broad support for his nominations as sign of cooperation.

Some Dems say his overtures will only waste time as Rs run Obama-era playbook of unifying to weaken the prez. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
.@SenatorSinema tells a constituent she supports the filibuster because it "will result in better, commonsense legislation," according to a letter obtained by NBC News.

Her most extensive remarks I've seen defending the 60-vote rule. Full letter below.

nbcnews.to/3sM4mfXc
Of course, Senate Democrats don't have the votes to nuke the filibuster at this time. Manchin and Sinema say it should be preserved because it'll promote bipartisan cooperation. Their commitment will be tested if it does the opposite and leads to gridlock. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Dems disagree on whether they have a shot at nixing the filibuster but they agree on one thing: Zero chance unless Biden pushes to sway holdouts. One aide says moderate Dems have privately joked that whatever Biden supports becomes the reasonable position. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…

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Sahil Kapur Profile picture
3 Mar
NEW: Senate will narrow eligibility for stimulus checks under a deal between moderate Dems and Biden.

Singles under $75K get the full $1,400. But it zeroes out at $80K (not $100K).

Couples under $150K get full amount. But zeroes out at $160K (not $200K). nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
That’s according to two sources familiar with the Senate Democrats’ new plan. It keeps the $1,400 topline number for checks, per Biden’s promise, but phases them out much faster above the $75K/$150K incomes.

w/ @frankthorp @GarrettHaake 👇

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
This means Biden will send checks to fewer people than Trump did (but with more cash for many).

Some Democrats had argued against this, warning it'd lead to some seriously angry people who got money before and didn't expect to be excluded this round.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Read 4 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
1 Mar
.@RoKhanna + 22 House Dems call on White House to ignore the parliamentarian and allow a $15 wage in the Covid bill.

A Senate expert tells me @VP has the power do this—and it'd take 60 votes to overrule her—but that it's never been done on Byrd rule.

WH has rejected this call. ImageImage
What @RoKhanna et al. are calling for is @VP to *ignore* the parliamentarian by issuing a ruling that the $15 wage complies. The parl. is an adviser and has no power to rule; the presiding officer rules and VP can preside. Hence this scenario doesn’t require a vote to *overrule.*
In any event, the other problem for Democrats pushing a $15 wage end-run around the parliamentarian is that even if they clear the rules hurdle, they lack 50 Senate votes for the policy.
Read 4 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
27 Feb
It's 8 o'clock on a Friday night and the House Rules Committee still hasn't sent the Covid-19 relief bill to the floor for a vote. Chairman Jim McGovern is rapidly running out of f@$&s to give, racing through votes on Republican amendments with each one getting rejected.
Rules Committee votes to send Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill to the House floor.

As Dems finalize the report, @TomColeOK04 asks the chair: "Should I have a short or long cigar?"

He says Cole isn't managing it so it doesn't matter.

Next up: A vote in the full chamber.
219-210, House officially votes to proceed to Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion Covid bill on the floor.

Now: One hour of debate.

Then a final series of votes on the bill.
Read 4 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
26 Feb
NEW: Senate parliamentarian rules that Democrats cannot put $15 minimum wage in Covid relief under the reconciliation rules, all but dooming the effort in this legislation. nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
And this is when the filibuster wars seriously begin.
Chuck Schumer is "deeply disappointed." Lindsey Graham is "very pleased." Bernie Sanders is befuddled and calls for using tax deductions to push big corporations to pay at least $15/hr in the Covid package to get around the rules.

w/ @LACaldwellDC 👇

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Read 8 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
23 Feb
SCHUMER on Covid relief: "We are on track to get this bill done and get it on the president's desk before" unemployment benefits expire on March 14.

"We're going to meet that deadline."
Chuck Schumer: "One thing is clear in the Senate. The era of Mitch McConnell's legislative graveyard is over."
Schumer says he told Senate Democratic committee chairs today to craft "a legislative package to out-compete China and create new American jobs."
Read 4 tweets
Sahil Kapur Profile picture
22 Feb
NEW: @RepStephMurphy, co-chair of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition, tells @NBCNews the GOP must be kept out of power to save American democracy and national security.

A searing indictment that shows how much the Capitol siege has strained party relations.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Did a wide-ranging interview with Rep. Murphy on the unusual stakes for 2022, how Democrats should govern and her theory for how they can avoid the midterm curse. The political survival of her coalition's members could decide the fight for House control.

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Some newsy nuggets here:

—Stephanie Murphy won't rule out a Senate bid in 2022, though she says her focus is on the pandemic

—She says Blue Dogs will return to deficit-consciousness after Covid and "police" red ink vigorously

nbcnews.com/politics/congr…
Read 4 tweets

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