Senators pass resolution to end COVID-19 national emergency, as White House and Democratic representatives clash
The bill passed 68-23, but House Democrats complained about Biden’s mixed messages The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Wednesday to scrap the COVID-19 national emergency declaration enacted in 2020, even after a majority of House Democrats previously voted against it. The bipartisan resolution, HJR7, passed 68-23, signaling a possible clash between the White House and Democratic lawmakers at Capitol Hill. The White House said that Biden “strongly opposes HJ Res 7,” but added that he will sign the bill, as his administration continues to “wind down the national emergency with as much notice as possible.” The Biden administration had opposed the bill in January, saying they planned to extend the emergency declarations until May 11. Title 42, an order that authorized the rapid and mass expulsion of migrants who are crossing the border, would also end with this emergency declaration bill. Democrats expressed their frustration with Biden over his changing position on the resolution, including Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., who described the atmosphere as “kindergarten-level cooperation” to Axios.
Published : one year ago by Gitanjali Poonia in Politics
The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Wednesday to scrap the COVID-19 national emergency declaration enacted in 2020, even after a majority of U.S. House Democrats previously voted against it, signaling a possible clash between the White House and Democratic lawmakers at Capitol Hill.
The bipartisan resolution, HJR7, passed 68-23. Ahead of the vote, Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., who championed the bill, said that the “declaration was appropriate in 2020, but it’s time for the proper constitutional checks and balances to be restored,” according to a press release.
“I come to the floor today, hopefully for one last vote on terminating this declaration. ‘Is the emergency indeed over?’” Marshall said.
The Kansas senator then cited Biden’s own words in an interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes” — where the president said, “the pandemic is over” — as proof that the emergency declaration isn’t necessary anymore and that “this power grab” needs to end.
Meanwhile, a White House official said that Biden “strongly opposes HJ Res 7,” but added that he will, however, sign the bill, as his administration continues to “wind down the national emergency with as much notice as possible,” according to a statement given to Fox News.
The Biden administration had opposed the bill in January, saying they planned to extend the emergency declarations until May 11. The policy statement said that since funding is attached to these emergency measures, a 60-day notice would give hospitals and other health care providers time to adjust the previously free or affordable services related to COVID-19, like vaccines or screenings, as the Deseret News reported.
Title 42, an order that authorized the rapid and mass expulsion of migrants who are crossing the border, would also end with this emergency declaration bill. Per Politico, Biden’s administration has tried ending the policy, only to have that struck down by the Supreme Court.
The president’s office reiterated the need for “an orderly transition” in February, according to a White House statement.
When the House voted on the resolution last month, only 11 Democratic representatives were in favor of the bill alongside 218 GOP House members. A White House official told CNN that the Senate’s vote comes after the Biden administration has had time to adjust to a new deadline for when the emergency would end.
As The Hill noted, earlier in March, Biden had said he would veto a D.C. crime bill, leading the House Democrats to vote no, but his administration drew criticism for surprising his allies by signing the bill.
Some Democrats expressed their frustration with Biden over his changing position on the COVID-19 resolution, including Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., who described the atmosphere as “kindergarten-level cooperation” to Axios. But Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., took Biden’s side and said that “the issue wasn’t the specific date, the issue was giving enough time to make this transition.”
Yet, some representatives like Dan Kildee of Michigan told the news outlet that there's “an unacceptable lack of clarity” between the White House and the lower chamber.
Topics: Coronavirus, DNC