The compromise, announced by the West Virginia legislature and a Democratic assistant, appeared to pave the way for the Senate to climax, begin a marathon series of votes, and eventually pass the sweeping legislation.
The general bill, President Joe Biden’s top legislative priority, is designed to combat the deadly pandemic and restore the staggered economy. It would provide direct payments of up to $ 1,400 to most Americans and money for COVID-19 vaccines and tests, aid to state and local governments, aid for schools and the airline industry, and health insurance grants.
The Senate then got votes on a pile of amendments that would likely go on overnight, mostly on Republican proposals that would almost certainly fail, but were intended to force Democrats to cast politically clumsy votes.
Most importantly, the unemployment benefit agreement suggested that it was only a matter of time before the Senate approved the bill. That would send it back to the House, which it expected to give final approval from Congress and take it to Biden for his signature.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden supports the compromise on unemployment payments.
The long deadlock of the day underscored the headaches facing party leaders over the next two years – and tensions between progressives and centrists – as they try to move their agenda through Congress with their tiny majorities.
Manchin is probably the most conservative Democrat in the room, and a kingmaker in the 50-50 senate. But the party cannot tilt too far in the middle to win Manchin’s vote without compromising progressive support in the House, where they have only a 10-vote lead.
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Helping unemployed Americans is a top Democratic priority. But it’s also an issue that drives a wedge between progressives looking to help unemployed voters cope with the bleak economy and Manchin and other moderates looking to cut some of the cost of the bill.
Biden noted that Friday’s jobs report shows employers added 379,000 workers – an unexpectedly strong result. That’s still small compared to the 10 million fewer jobs since the pandemic hit a year ago.
“Without a bailout, these gains will slow,” said Biden. “We cannot afford one step forward and two steps back. We must defeat the virus, provide vital assistance and build an inclusive recovery.”
The general bill is facing a solid wall of GOP opposition, and Republicans used the unemployment deadlock to accuse Biden of refusing to compromise with them.
“You can answer the phone and end this now,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., of Biden.
But in an encouraging sign to Biden, a poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 70% of Americans support his approach to the pandemic, including a remarkable 44% of Republicans.
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The House passed a bill last weekend that included $ 400 weekly unemployment benefits – on top of regular state payments – through August. Manchin hoped to cut those costs, arguing that that level would discourage people from returning to work, a rationale that most Democrats and many economists reject.
At the start of the day, Democrats claimed they had reached a compromise between party moderates and progressives, extending unemployment benefits from $ 300 a week to early October until early October.
That plan, sponsored by Senator Tom Carper, D-Del., Also included tax cuts on some unemployment benefits. Without it, many Americans who are abruptly kicked out of their jobs would face unexpected tax bills.
But by noon, lawmakers said Manchin was ready to support a less generous Republican version. That led to hours of talks with White House aides, top Senate Democrats and Manchin as the party tried to find a way to save its unemployment package.
The compromise announced Friday night would net $ 300 a week, with the final check paid on Sept. 6, and including the tax break on distributions.
Before the unemployment benefit drama began, senators voted 58-42 to cut a progressive top priority, a gradual increase in the current minimum wage from $ 7.25 to $ 15 over five years.
Eight Democrats voted against that proposal, suggesting that Senator Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., And other progressives who promise to continue the efforts in the coming months will face a tough fight.
That vote began shortly after 11 a.m. EST and did not formally end until nearly 12 hours later when Senate work came to a halt amid the unemployment benefit negotiations.
Senate leader Mitch McConnell rebuked the Democrats, calling their day-to-day efforts to work out the unemployment amendment a “spectacle.”
“This proves that there are benefits to duality when dealing with a problem of this magnitude,” McConnell said.
Republicans criticized the General Aid Act as a liberal spending celebration that ignores the growing number of vaccinations and signs of a booming economy suggest the twin crises are on the wane.
“Democrats inherited a tide that was already turning.” McConnell said.
Democrats reject that, citing the job losses and numerous people still struggling to buy food and pay rent.
“If you just look at a lot of them, you say, ‘Oh, everything is getting a little bit better,’” said Senate leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y. ‘It’s not for the bottom half of America. It’s not. ‘
Friday’s stalemate over unemployment benefit stalemate was not the first delay on the aid package. On Thursday, Senator Ron Johnson, R-Wis., Forced the chamber clerks to read aloud the full 628-page waiver bill, a tiring task that took staff 10 hours and 44 minutes and ended shortly after 2 a.m. EST.
Democrats have made a host of other late changes to the bill intended to stifle support. They ranged from extra money for food programs and federal health care grants for workers who lose their jobs to rural health care funds and language that insured minimum amounts for smaller states.
In another late deal that appeased moderates, Biden and Senate Democrats agreed on Wednesday to exclude some higher-income earners from the direct checks to individuals.
Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Alexandra Jaffe and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
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