WASHINGTON — "Go big!"
Those are the words from U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) when it comes to the issue of COVID-19 relief.
Kaine urged his Senate colleagues on Wednesday to pass President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. He highlighted the urgent need to pass this legislation to help Virginians get back on their feet.
He also said the bill would be a way to honor the 447,000 Americans who have died from the virus
"The best way we can honor them is not through a floor speech. The best way we can honor them is acting in a compassionate and prompt and significant way to ease the suffering of Americans during this most unprecedented time," he said.
Kaine is urging the Senate to use a parliamentary procedure that dates back to 1974 called "budget reconciliation" to pass the COVID bill with just a simple majority vote.
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, a measure was narrowly passed Wednesday to begin the budget reconciliation process.
Rep. Bobby Scott (D, VA-03) was one of the 218 members of Congress who voted for the measure. He said Democrats will keep working with Republicans, but they cannot wait for compromise when it comes to the big sticking point: stimulus checks.
“Our constituents don’t want us to say that we could have provided relief checks in the amount of $1,400 but we needed to work with the Republicans, and now they’re only $1,000," Scott said. “The upcoming COVID-19 rescue package must extend assistance for unemployed Americans, protect all workers from COVID-19 infections, and support frontline workers who have cared for our loved ones and kept food on the table during the pandemic."