Name: Senate Republicans are trying to drag out the stimulus process in the middle of a national emergency
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Senate Republicans are trying to drag out the stimulus process in the middle of a national emergency

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Republicans are doing what they can to delay passage of the Covid-19 relief bill.Senate Republicans — beginning with a reading of the entirety of the stimulus package on Thursday — have been trying to drag out the legislative process on the bill as much as possible in an effort to make things uncomfortable for Democrats.That also means, however, that they’re delaying the legislation’s passage in the middle of a public health crisis, as millions of people and thousands of businesses wait on congressional aid.In an effort spearheaded by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Republicans asked Senate clerks to read the full 628-page stimulus bill aloud on Thursday, a practice that’s allowed for every measure but often skipped because of how time-consuming it is. And on Friday, Republicans are gearing up for a “vote-a-rama,” where they will offer amendment after amendment as part of a stacked series of votes the Senate has to hold — so much so that some lawmakers think it could be the longest one the chamber has ever endured.“It’s indefinite, you know. Lots of people who want to offer lots of amendments and ... who knows when it starts,” Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) recently told reporters.Such tactics have been common to the budget reconciliation process, which otherwise subverts some of the minority party’s power over the Senate, and which Democrats are using to pass the bill while avoiding the filibuster. Because the process can be used to bypass them, the minority party often capitalizes on procedure to send a message about their opposition to the bill at hand. for example, Democrats used amendments in the vote-a-rama to express their support for the Affordable Care Act as Republicans tried to repeal it.“Vote-a-rama is the punishment that the minority party gets to inflict on the majority party for using the streamlined processes set up in the budget process and reconciliation,” Zach Moller, a former Senate Budget Committee staffer, .The current delays, however, are also taking place against an urgent context: As Republicans attempt to prolong consideration of the bill, people are continuing to experience severe economic and and Congress is racing to hit a March 14 deadline. Since enhanced unemployment insurance support is expected to expire on that date, lawmakers are trying to approve the bill swiftly in order to avoid going over that cliff, which would put roughly 12 million people’s benefits at risk.Vox’s German Lopez is here to guide you through the Biden administration’s burst of policymaking. .The Senate is poised to have a couple long days and nights as lawmakers wrap up the reconciliation process this week. After approving a motion to proceed to the Covid-19 bill on Thursday, the upper chamber is taking the following steps before voting on its passage:There’s a lot at stake in this Covid-19 relief package, which includes $1,400 stimulus checks, $400 in enhanced weekly unemployment insurance, and $350 billion in state and local aid. Thus far, Democrats have remained united in their attempts to move it forward — and depending on whether any GOP senators sign on, they ultimately might have to pass it on their own.Many Republicans, meanwhile, seem perfectly open to dawdling on the legislation despite the critical support it would provide to many people currently in need.Millions turn to Vox to understand what’s happening in the news. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all.Understand how policy impacts people. Delivered Fridays.

Republicans are doing what they can to delay passage of the Covid-19 relief bill.Senate Republicans — beginning with a reading of the entirety of the stimulus package on Thursday — have been trying to drag out the legislative process on the bill as much as possible in an effort to make things uncomfortable for Democrats.That also means, however, that they’re delaying the legislation’s passage in the middle of a public health crisis, as millions of people and thousands of businesses wait on congressional aid.In an effort spearheaded by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Republicans asked Senate clerks...

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Vox is a liberal-leaning American news and opinion website owned by Vox Media. The website was founded in April 2014 by Ezra Klein, Matt Yglesias, and Melissa Bell, and is noted for its concept of explanatory journalism. Vox's media presence also includes a YouTube channel, several podcasts, and a show presented on Netflix.

Senate Republicans are trying to drag out the stimulus process in the middle of a national emergency

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