Biden's 1st 100 days live updates: Senate passes COVID relief bill along party lines

White House press secretary Jen Psaki discussed the partnership between longtime competitors Merck and Johnson & Johnson to ramp up production of the single-shot J&J vaccine, which was greenlighted by the Food and Drug Administration Saturday.

"The two largest health care and pharmaceutical companies, Merck and Johnson & Johnson, usually competitors, are coming together to expand production of the vaccine, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine drug substance, as well as increase its fill finish capacity," Psaki said. "They will enter into a historic manufacturing partnership to expand that, I should say."

Psaki touted the White House's role in getting the companies to work together, saying it "speaks to the ability of this administration, broadly, to bring them to the table and work together to address the pandemic in the country." She also discussed how the federal government is working to facilitate making the vaccine available, including providing support from the Department of Defense and using the Defense Production Act.

"The US Government will facilitate this partnership in several key ways including invoking the Defense Production Act to equip two Merck facilities to the standards necessary, safely manufacture the vaccine, and asking the Department of Defense to provide daily logistical support to strengthen Johnson & Johnson's efforts," Psaki said.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., has said he wants to see some changes to Biden's COVID-19 relief package, including it becoming more targeted, a phrase heard Monday after moderate Democrats met with Biden.

Manchin, who is a key swing vote in the split Senate, told reporters on Capitol Hill that he takes issue with the provision that adds $400 per month to unemployment insurance, saying he feels like people are coming off of unemployment now, so increasing it "doesn't make sense." 

"It's kind of hard to explain...I would prefer that they stay at $300 [per month]," Manchin said.

Democratic leadership says since this is not a position supported by the majority it will be a tough needle to thread. It is the last minute for Manchin to be seeking the kind of change that would really shake up the bill. The goal is to have the Senate's reconciliation bill ready to hit the floor late Wednesday.

-ABC News' Trish Turner

In floor remarks Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer affirmed that the COVID-19 budget bill could come to the Senate floor "as early as tomorrow" and continued to advocate for a robust rescue package. 

"The American Rescue Plan is designed to finish the job. That's what the American people sent us here to do that's what our government is for," Schumer said. "Not to sit back and wait for problems to fix themselves, not to cross our fingers and hope the economy will fix itself on its own."

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, meanwhile, continued railing against the bill, accusing Democrats, as he has for weeks, of loading the bill with "liberal wish list" items. He said the Democratic plan would stall the economy rather than energize it. 

"It's more like a plan to keep it shut down," McConnell said. "Mostly it's just what democrats promised almost a year ago, taking advantage of the crisis to check off unrelated liberal policies."

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

On Tuesday, Shalanda Young is appearing before the Senate Budget Committee on her nomination as deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Young's appearance comes as criticism over Neera Tanden's nomination for Office of Management and Budget director has led some senators to push for Young to head the office.

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., the top Republican on the Appropriations Committee, threw his weight behind Young as an alternative to Tanden last week as Tanden's nomination has become jeopardized by her past tweets critical of Republicans.

"I believe she would be good in that role. She’s smart, she knows the process inside-out, and she’s an honest broker who has demonstrated the ability to work with both sides and get things done. She would have my support, and I suspect many of my Republican colleagues would support her, as well," Shelby said in a statement. "But that’s up to the Biden Administration.”

Tanden has had votes in the Budget Committee and the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee postponed as the White House works to secure votes necessary for her confirmation. Tanden met on Monday with Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who said that even after the meeting she is still undecided about how she'll vote on Tanden's confirmation. The White House has maintained support for Tanden.

-ABC News's Allison Pecorin, Trish Turner and Benjamin Siegel