Biden Warns GOP He’ll Plow Ahead With Stimulus if They Don’t Negotiate Immediately: ‘I’m Going to Act, and I’m Going to Act Fast’
After a late-night Senate vote passing a budget resolution paving the way for a Covid stimulus package, President Joe Biden is warning Republicans to get on board, or risk being left out of the process.
During a Friday afternoon speech at the White House, the president made clear that while he would like bipartisan support for the package, time is of the essence.
“I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help, to do our job, to not let them down,” Biden said. “So I’m going to act, and I’m going to act fast. I’d like to be doing it with the support of Republicans. I’ve met the Republicans. There are some really fine people who want to get something done. But they’re just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go.”
The president added, “I’ve told both Republicans and Democrats, that’s my preference — to work together. But if I have to choose between getting help right now to Americans who are hurting so badly, and getting bogged down in a lengthy negotiation, or compromising on a bill that’s up to the crisis, that’s an easy choice.”
Biden went on to say that he won’t budge on the $1,400 checks he has proposed in his plan, although he did suggest — as has been reported — that the maximum income for recipients will come down.
“We need to target that money, so folks making $300,000 don’t get any windfall,” Biden said. He added, “Here’s what I won’t do. I’m not cutting the size of the checks. They’re going to be $1,400. Period. That’s what the American people were promised.”
Biden has received criticism from conservatives as well as progressives for — in their view — reneging on a promise to make the checks $2,000. The White House maintains that the $600 checks that went out at the end of 2020 should count toward the $2,000 total Biden pledged to deliver. However, some argue that Biden continued to promise $2,000 even after the original $600 was doled out.
“$2,000 means $2,000. $2,000 does not mean $1,400,″ Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) told the Washington Post.
Watch above, via CNN.
