Pelosi, Schumer File Measure That Sets Up Process To Ram Through Biden Stimulus Without GOP Support

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) introduced a joint resolution on Monday afternoon that will allow them to start the reconciliation process, which would allow them to pass President Joe Biden’s coronavirus stimulus package without needing support from the Republican Party.

“Introduction of a joint budget resolution is the first step to potentially enacting a Budget Reconciliation bill, one legislative tool available to Congress to quickly pass bipartisan COVID relief legislation,” a joint statement from the two Democrat leaders said. “The Resolution outlines the ‘reconciliation instructions’ for each House and Senate committee, or how much funding can be spent in their jurisdiction. If both the House and Senate pass identical Budget Resolutions (which do not require a Presidential signature), both chambers can begin work on the Reconciliation bill that is signed by the President. According to an analysis of research from the Congressional Research Service, reconciliation bills have been passed by the Senate on a bipartisan basis 17 times in recent years, including to pass the bipartisan Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in 1997.”