House passes Senate budget bill, kicking off two-week push on COVID-19 relief

Pelosi reaffirmed the deadline Friday, speaking to reporters after House Democratic leadership met with President Biden. Asked if they’d be done by March 14, she said: “Absolutely. Without any question. Before then.” She added: “We hope to be able to put vaccines in people’s arms; money in people’s pockets; children safely in schools; and workers in their jobs.” In the meeting with Biden, she said he was “values-based, knowledge-informed, and strategic” in his presentation. She added that he told the Democratic leaders he was “open to bipartisanship,” but is focused on “getting results as soon as we can in the best possible way.”

Biden himself reiterated that in remarks Friday: “Are we going to say to millions of Americans who are out of work—many out of work for six months or longer, who have been scared by this economic and public health crisis—’Don’t worry, hang on, things are going to get better?'” Biden said. “That’s the Republican answer right now. I can’t in good conscience do that. Too many people in the nation have already suffered for too long.” He also accused Republicans of “rediscovering” their obsession over the deficit after having ignored it for the four years of Trump, including when they passed their massive tax cut.