Summary
Following House passage of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) along party lines (219-212) late Friday, Senate Democrats are drafting substitute legislation this week with a primary focus of ensuring the package complies with the budget reconciliation rules. Apart from the $15 minimum wage requirement, which the Senate parliamentarian ruled violates the Byrd Rule governing this process, the other policy provisions and appropriations are unlikely to dramatically change in the Senate. However, jockeying among senators is going on behind the scenes to secure modest amendments to the bill. Still, Senate Democrats must work swiftly and precisely to pass a budget reconciliation package that the House can quickly approve, likely next week, ahead of the March 14 expiration of federal unemployment benefits.