President Biden is set to meet with Senate Republicans on Monday to discuss an additional coronavirus relief package as negotiations between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill are still stalled.
Biden’s decision to meet with the minority party in the Senate comes just shy of two weeks into his presidency, after he signed upwards of 40 executive orders during his first days in office. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) took note of this, pointing out that Senate Republicans were his “last call.”
“The timing on this is so interesting. President Biden has carried out the most egregious power-grab with over 40 executive memos and executive orders,” Blackburn told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo. “What should have been the first set of calls, which is calls to Republican Senators, to work with them on funding for COVID relief has been his last set of calls.”
The GOP lawmaker noted that members of both parties hope to see real funding for relief, vaccines, and schools, but said that the $1.9 trillion “non-targeted,” "non-timely" package proposed by Democrats will not prove to be effective. With Republicans in the minority in the upper chamber, Biden has the upper hand in negotiations. Blackburn pointed out that Democrats have declined over and over to work with Republicans on relief, despite promising "unity" under the Biden administration.
COVID relief should be targeted, temporary and timely. Biden, Pelosi, and Schumer want to use COVID for their left-wing agenda. pic.twitter.com/DNlvPezMx0
— Sen. Marsha Blackburn (@MarshaBlackburn) February 1, 2021