After five days of deliberation, the impeachment trial against President Donald Trump has ended, ending in an acquittal of the former president.
There was grave concern as to whether the process would disrupt a quick consideration of President Joe Biden’s proposed $ 1.9 billion economic stimulus bill, which would in turn send 1,400 checks to most Americans.
As of Tuesday, the impeachment trial has dominated the Senate calendar as senators had to weigh testimony from House’s impeachment managers and Trump’s defense as to whether he should be convicted of instigating a riot in the Capitol on Jan. 6.
On Saturday, House impeachment managers surprised senators by calling witnesses. Initially required senators, 55-45 voted to call witnesses. But witness summons could have taken the trial for weeks, extending a result that would likely have ended up in an acquittal after all.
After a chaotic recess in the United States Senate on Saturday, house managers dropped their call for witnesses, instituting Saturday’s acquittal.
But for those who think work on the incentive bill will begin immediately now that the impeachment has ended, think again.
Both the House and Senate have a scheduled hiatus this week.
Parliamentary committees voted on parts of the stimulus proposal last week. As the Senate uses the budget reconciliation process to bypass the legislative filibuster, the incentive bill will be voted piecemeal. On Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee voted on a portion of the stimulus proposal that will send $ 1,400 checks to Americans, equating to $ 75,000 a year. The House committee also approved $ 400 unemployment benefits through the end of September.
However, there are still the questions of whether those who make up to $ 75,000 a year will earn a full stimulus check. A group of Democrats sent Biden a letter this week urging him to keep the amount at $ 75,000, but others in the caucus wanted a smaller, more targeted threshold.
On Sunday, during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen suggested an amount between $ 50,000 and $ 75,000.
“(Biden) wouldn’t want a household earning more than $ 300,000 to receive these payments,” Yellen said. “But when you think of an elementary school teacher or a police officer making $ 60,000 a year, and facing kids out of school and people who may have had to retire from the workforce to take care of them and a lot of extra burdens, I – he thinks, and I certainly agree, that it is appropriate for people to get support there. “
Stimulation proposals cannot be removed from committee until the full Parliament meets again in the week of 22 February.
The Senate also resumed legislative action that week.
The interruption of legislative action in the Senate has given Biden time to garner bipartisan support for his bill. On Friday, he invited a group of mayors and governors from both parties in an attempt to sell the America Relief Plan.
“The president was extremely attentive, listening to each of the elected officials, both governors and mayors of both parties, listening to our comments and concerns,” said Republican Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami. “We had a reflective talk back and forth, and I think he will use our input to improve and hopefully pass the bill in favor of the American people.”
However, some Republicans said they feel left out.
While we are still slipping $ 900 billion in relief that Congress passed less than two months ago, although a group of Senate Republicans met with President Biden to discuss two-pronged avenues for hundreds of billions of dollars more, the Washington Democrats have decided that they want to do it alone, ”said Mitch McConnell, minority leader in the senate.
In addition to the economic stimulus, the Senate is also tasked with ratifying members of Biden’s cabinet. As of Saturday, only six of Biden’s 15 appointees have been confirmed. Several key posts, including Attorney General and Secretary of Health and Human Services, remain vacant.