The US Senate will vote
"this week"
on the vast stimulus plan wanted by Joe Biden, announced Monday the leader of the Democratic majority Chuck Schumer, a bill which will then have to be adopted definitively by the House of Representatives.
Read also: Joe Biden urges the Senate to adopt his vast stimulus plan "quickly"
The Democratic-controlled House on Saturday approved a $ 1.9 trillion plan, which included a hike in the federal hourly minimum wage.
The version discussed this week in the Senate will not include this increase, for a question of rules governing budget texts.
Despite the disappointment on his side, the Democratic president urged Congress to
“quickly”
adopt
the rest of his plan.
"If we act with determination, speed and daring, we can finally regain the upper hand against this virus, we can finally revive our economy"
, pleaded Joe Biden Saturday.
"The Senate will seize this week of the American rescue plan"
, announced Chuck Schumer, without specifying the date.
“I expect a robust debate and a few late nights,”
he added.
Too costly and poorly targeted measures
After hours of debate, the bill was adopted Saturday in the lower house by 219 votes, all Democrats, against 212 (including two Democrats), the Republicans denouncing measures too expensive and poorly targeted.
"At about two o'clock in the morning on Saturday, the Democrats in the House had the spending for the benefit of their party adopted at a rapid pace, which they pass off as a rescue plan against the pandemic,"
denounced on Monday the head of Minority Republican Mitch McConnell.
Democrats have a very narrow majority in the upper house, with 50 senators versus 50 Republicans.
In the event of a tie, Vice-President Kamala Harris has one vote to decide the vote.
If progressives regret removing the minimum wage hike from the bill, it could ultimately facilitate passage of the stimulus package, as at least two centrist Democrats were against it.
Given the Republicans' wholesale opposition, their defection risked doom the plan to failure.
After the Senate vote, the harmonized text will have to go back to the House for a final vote.
Democrats want to adopt the text before March 14, when the payment of extended unemployment benefits in a previous aid plan ceases.
