Speaker Pelosi said that the House budget resolution will be introduced this week. The resolution will instruct committees to produce a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package—in line with President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 and economic stimulus proposal, which includes $350 billion in state and local relief and $70 billion combined into COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution efforts, among numerous other health provisions.
While the Biden Administration and Democratic leadership continue to press for a bipartisan approach to passing COVID-19 legislation, they are keeping all options on the table—including using budget reconciliation, which requires a simple Senate majority vote rather than the usual 60-vote threshold. If budget reconciliation is used, Democrats would likely need unanimous support on legislative provisions and special procedural steps due to the caucus’s razor thin majority.
Discussions surrounding COVID-19 relief and budget reconciliation will continue in the coming weeks. We will keep you updated on the negotiations.