Democrats move forward with Biden's COVID-19 relief bill
By Josh Boak and Lisa Mascaro
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WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden told Senate Democrats on a private call Tuesday that a Republican alternative to his $1.9 trillion COVID rescue plan is insufficient as he urged lawmakers to boldly and swiftly confront the coronavirus pandemic and economic crisis.
Biden and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen joined senators for the virtual meeting, both declaring the Republicans' $618 billion offer was too small. As the White House reaches for a bipartisan bill, Democrats voted Tuesday to start a process for approving Biden's bill on their own, with or without GOP support. The goal is passage by March.