When Will Biden's Stimulus Package Pass? Schumer Promises March Signing Date

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has confirmed the stimulus timeline set out by Nancy Pelosi Thursday, but major roadblocks remain to the bill’s passage. Democrats hope to use budget reconciliation to push the bill through without Republican support before federal benefits run dry on March 14, The Washington Post reports.

Budget reconciliation prevents a Senate filibuster, lowering the threshold of passage from 60 votes to 50. With Kamala Harris as a tiebreaker, Democrats have just enough votes to make the work. It would mean, however, that they need every member of their caucus on board. Some Democratic Senators have signaled they’re not comfortable with the bill.

Joe Manchin, D-W.Va. and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., have both shown resistance to raising the minimum wage to $15 dollars through budget reconciliation, one of the key provisions of the bill that Republicans objected to.

The minimum wage increase has been a central policy point for progressives and received qualified support from Joe Biden.

It’s not even clear that the minimum wage can legally be raised through the budget reconciliation process. It awaits a verdict from the Senate parliamentarian before the issue is on the table.

Despite the obstacle, Schumer remains confident he can pass the bill to be signed by Biden before time runs out.

“The Senate is on track to send a robust $1.9 trillion package to the president’s desk before the March 14 expiration of unemployment insurance benefits. We will meet this deadline,” he said in a Friday letter to Democrats.

Congressional Democrats have also included financial aid to regional governments, which Republican proposals lacked. Less controversial are $1,400 checks, an annual $3,600 child tax credit and money for school reopening and vaccination efforts.

Republican nevertheless sounded the alarm over the bill.

“Next week, the House is expected to consider the nearly $2 trillion package of progressive priorities Democrats have rushed to bring to the floor,” minority whip Steven Scalise, R-La., wrote. “This package will keep schools closed, bailout blue states, pay people not to work and raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour.”