The House will have to approve a budget resolution that paves the way for Democrats to pass a coronavirus relief bill without GOP support for a second time this week.
The House initially passed its budget resolution on Wednesday, but the Senate amended the resolution shortly after starting what's expected to be an hours-long process known as vote-a-rama.
The Senate has been voting consecutively for roughly five hours on amendments to the budget resolution.
The Senate started changing the budget immediately when an amendment from Sens. Roger Wicker
Roger Frederick WickerSen. Manchin paves way for a telehealth revolution Senate confirms Radhika Fox to lead EPA's water office Overnight Defense: Pentagon details military construction projects getting .2B restored from wall funds | Biden chooses former commander to lead Navy | Bill seeks to boost visa program for Afghans who helped US MORE (R-Miss.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) related to the restaurant industry successfully got attached.
Roger Frederick WickerSen. Manchin paves way for a telehealth revolution Senate confirms Radhika Fox to lead EPA's water office Overnight Defense: Pentagon details military construction projects getting .2B restored from wall funds | Biden chooses former commander to lead Navy | Bill seeks to boost visa program for Afghans who helped US MORE (R-Miss.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) related to the restaurant industry successfully got attached. Then Sen. Todd Young
Todd Christopher YoungOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Overnight Defense: Biden, Putin agree to launch arms control talks at summit | 2002 war authorization repeal will get Senate vote | GOP rep warns Biden 'blood with be on his hands' without Afghan interpreter evacuation Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators MORE (R-Ind.) got language added that supports blocking stimulus checks for undocumented immigrants after Democratic Sens. Maggie Hassan
Margaret (Maggie) HassanOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators Senate panel unanimously advances key Biden cyber nominees MORE (N.H.), John Hickenlooper
John HickenlooperOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators Senator's on-air interview features carpooling colleague waving from back seat MORE (Colo.), Mark KellyMark KellyOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators Past criticism of Trump becomes potent weapon in GOP primaries MORE (Ariz.), Gary Peters
Gary PetersAbsences force Senate to punt vote on Biden nominee Senate Democrats investing M in Defend the Vote initiative Senior Biden cyber nominees sail through Senate hearing MORE (Mich.), Sinema, Debbie Stabenow
Deborah (Debbie) Ann StabenowSenate crafts Pelosi alternative on drug prices Lobbying world Schumer tactics on China bill reveal broader trade strategy MORE (Mich.) and Jon Tester
Jonathan (Jon) TesterOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Judge halts Biden pause on new public lands oil leasing | Democrat presses Haaland on oil and gas review | EPA puts additional delay on Trump lead and copper in drinking water rule Democrat presses Haaland on oil and gas review How Biden can get the infrastructure bill through Congress MORE (Mont.) voted in favor of it.
Todd Christopher YoungOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Overnight Defense: Biden, Putin agree to launch arms control talks at summit | 2002 war authorization repeal will get Senate vote | GOP rep warns Biden 'blood with be on his hands' without Afghan interpreter evacuation Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators MORE (R-Ind.) got language added that supports blocking stimulus checks for undocumented immigrants after Democratic Sens. Maggie HassanMargaret (Maggie) HassanOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators Senate panel unanimously advances key Biden cyber nominees MORE (N.H.), John HickenlooperJohn HickenlooperOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators Senator's on-air interview features carpooling colleague waving from back seat MORE (Colo.), Mark KellyMark KellyOn The Money: Yellen, Powell brush off inflation fears | Fed keeps rates steady, upgrades growth projections Bipartisan infrastructure group grows to 20 senators Past criticism of Trump becomes potent weapon in GOP primaries MORE (Ariz.), Gary PetersGary PetersAbsences force Senate to punt vote on Biden nominee Senate Democrats investing M in Defend the Vote initiative Senior Biden cyber nominees sail through Senate hearing MORE (Mich.), Sinema, Debbie StabenowDeborah (Debbie) Ann StabenowSenate crafts Pelosi alternative on drug prices Lobbying world Schumer tactics on China bill reveal broader trade strategy MORE (Mich.) and Jon TesterJonathan (Jon) TesterOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Judge halts Biden pause on new public lands oil leasing | Democrat presses Haaland on oil and gas review | EPA puts additional delay on Trump lead and copper in drinking water rule Democrat presses Haaland on oil and gas review How Biden can get the infrastructure bill through Congress MORE (Mont.) voted in favor of it. There was disagreement on the floor over whether the amendment blocking stimulus checks for undocumented immigrants also applies to their children who are U.S. citizens.
Sen. Dick Durbin
Dick DurbinSenate Judiciary Democrats demand DOJ turn over Trump obstruction memo Senate on collision course over Trump DOJ subpoenas Harris calls for pathway to citizenship for Dreamers on DACA anniversary MORE (D-Ill.) argued that it would apply to children who are legal citizens if their parents are undocumented — something Young contested.
Dick DurbinSenate Judiciary Democrats demand DOJ turn over Trump obstruction memo Senate on collision course over Trump DOJ subpoenas Harris calls for pathway to citizenship for Dreamers on DACA anniversary MORE (D-Ill.) argued that it would apply to children who are legal citizens if their parents are undocumented — something Young contested. The amendments are nonbinding and the budget resolution doesn’t get signed into law. But both chambers need to pass the same text, and the amendments effectively get senators on the record on proposals they could struggle to get a vote on otherwise.
Young's amendment could also cause a headache for House leadership; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHillary Clinton backs Shontel Brown in Ohio congressional race Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand and Moulton call for more high-speed rail funding in infrastructure package Pelosi picks Democrats for special panel tackling inequality MORE (D-N.Y.) told reporters that the language, even though it's not binding, could "absolutely" slow down the budget resolution's passage on the House side.
Alexandria Ocasio-CortezHillary Clinton backs Shontel Brown in Ohio congressional race Ocasio-Cortez, Gillibrand and Moulton call for more high-speed rail funding in infrastructure package Pelosi picks Democrats for special panel tackling inequality MORE (D-N.Y.) told reporters that the language, even though it's not binding, could "absolutely" slow down the budget resolution's passage on the House side. The budget resolution is the first step toward passing a coronavirus bill that can bypass the 60-vote legislative filibuster meaning Democrats could pass it without GOP support. Democrats want to pass the subsequent coronavirus bill by mid-March, when federal unemployment benefits will expire.
The House could pass the budget again as soon as Friday, House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth
John Allen YarmuthDemocrats shift tone on unemployment benefits The Hill's Morning Report - Dems to go-it-alone on infrastructure as bipartisan plan falters Democratic patience runs out on bipartisan talks MORE (D-Ky.) told reporters earlier this week.
John Allen YarmuthDemocrats shift tone on unemployment benefits The Hill's Morning Report - Dems to go-it-alone on infrastructure as bipartisan plan falters Democratic patience runs out on bipartisan talks MORE (D-Ky.) told reporters earlier this week. It wasn’t just Republicans who successfully changed the bill.
Sens. Joe Manchin
Joe ManchinSen. Manchin paves way for a telehealth revolution Manchin meets with Texas lawmakers on voting rights Schumer tees up sweeping election bill for vote next week MORE (D-W.Va.) and Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsSenate confirms Radhika Fox to lead EPA's water office Pelosi says she's giving Senate more time on Jan. 6 commission Overnight Energy: Schumer to trigger reconciliation process Wednesday | Bipartisan bill would ban 'forever chemicals' in cosmetics | Biden admin eyes step toward Trump-era proposal for uranium reserve MORE (R-Maine) got the support of 99 senators for a nonbinding amendment that calls for stimulus checks to be more targeted so that high-income households do not get the assistance.
Joe ManchinSen. Manchin paves way for a telehealth revolution Manchin meets with Texas lawmakers on voting rights Schumer tees up sweeping election bill for vote next week MORE (D-W.Va.) and Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsSenate confirms Radhika Fox to lead EPA's water office Pelosi says she's giving Senate more time on Jan. 6 commission Overnight Energy: Schumer to trigger reconciliation process Wednesday | Bipartisan bill would ban 'forever chemicals' in cosmetics | Biden admin eyes step toward Trump-era proposal for uranium reserve MORE (R-Maine) got the support of 99 senators for a nonbinding amendment that calls for stimulus checks to be more targeted so that high-income households do not get the assistance.“Instead of sending stimulus checks to families who earn $300,000 a year, we should be targeting this relief to families and individuals who need it most," Manchin said in a statement after the vote.
Sens. Ben Cardin
Benjamin (Ben) Louis CardinThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden on Putin: 'a worthy adversary' Antsy Democrats warn of infrastructure time crunch 'SECURE 2.0' will modernize retirement security for the post-COVID American workforce MORE (D-Md.) and Rob Portman
Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanG-7 summit exposes incoherence of US foreign policy Senate panel unanimously advances key Biden cyber nominees Hillicon Valley: Big Tech critic Lina Khan named chair of the FTC | Lawmakers urge Biden to be tough on cyber during summit with Putin | TSA working on additional security regulations following Colonial Pipeline hack MORE (R-Ohio) also got an amendment attached related to a public awareness campaign for vaccine distributions.
Benjamin (Ben) Louis CardinThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden on Putin: 'a worthy adversary' Antsy Democrats warn of infrastructure time crunch 'SECURE 2.0' will modernize retirement security for the post-COVID American workforce MORE (D-Md.) and Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanG-7 summit exposes incoherence of US foreign policy Senate panel unanimously advances key Biden cyber nominees Hillicon Valley: Big Tech critic Lina Khan named chair of the FTC | Lawmakers urge Biden to be tough on cyber during summit with Putin | TSA working on additional security regulations following Colonial Pipeline hack MORE (R-Ohio) also got an amendment attached related to a public awareness campaign for vaccine distributions."The most important thing we can do right now is to get the vaccines distributed. And one of the problems we’ve got is that about 40 percent of Americans are still saying they’re uncomfortable getting a vaccine," Portman said ahead of the vote.
