PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN’S $1.9 TRILLION COVID-19 RELIEF BILL PASSED THE SENATE 50-49 ON SATURDAY AFTER A 25-HOUR MARATHON OF AMENDMENT VOTES.
SATURDAY’S ALL-NIGHTER HAD SENATORS DEBATE AND VOTE ON 39 AMENDMENTS OVER THE 25-HOUR PERIOD.
IOWA SENATOR CHUCK GRASSLEY SAYS MUCH OF THE DEBATE WAS ON THINGS NOT RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC:
ALLNIGHT1 OC……..ARE HURTING. :19
GRASSLEY SAYS A RELIEF BILL COULD HAVE BEEN PASSED WEEKS AGO:
ALLNIGHT2 OC………..DEMOCRATIC PROPOSALS. ;30
ONE AMENDMENT SENATE DEMOCRATS REJECTED WAS GRASSLEY’S ATTEMPT TO REINSTATE MAKING DERECHO-RAVAGED FARMS ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL ASSISTANCE ALREADY AVAILABLE FOR VICTIMS OF HURRICANES AND OTHER NATURAL DISASTERS.
THE PLAN, WHICH WAS ORIGINALLY OFFERED IN THE HOUSE BY IOWA CONGRESSMAN RANDY FEENSTRA, WOULD NOT HAVE INCREASED FEDERAL SPENDING LEVELS.
ALLNIGHT3 OC……..THAT WAY. ;22
THE RELIEF MEASURE, KNOWN AS THE “AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT” HEADS BACK TO THE HOUSE, WITH DEMOCRATS AIMING TO HAVE IT SIGNED INTO LAW THIS WEEK.
