Biden wants Congress to take action on gun reform

Biden is meeting with Senate Majority Leader Chuck  Schumer and Senate Democratic chairs of the committees most involved in the drafting budget reconciliation to make way for his COVID-19 "American Rescue Plan" in the Oval Office on Wednesday.

Along with Schumer, Sens. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Pat Leahy, D-Vt., Bob Menendez, D-.N.J., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Jon Tester, D-Mont., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., are also in attendance.

Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Ben Cardin, D-Md., are overseeing confirmations hearings and were not able to attend, the White House said.

The meeting with Democrats comes after Biden met with 10 Republican senators on their COVID-19 relief plan -- which costs about a third of Biden's -- in the Oval Office Monday night.

About an hour ahead of hosting Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and 10 other Democratic committee chairs in the Oval Office, Biden also had his home state Senate delegation -- Delaware Democratic Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper -- in the Oval Office Wednesday morning to discuss the COVID-19 relief negotiations.

"The centerpiece of our conversation was giving him insight and feedback on what we've heard from our Republican colleagues, and what's possible, while still keeping an eye on the urgency of relief in the midst of a raging pandemic where literally thousands of Americans will die today," Coons said outside the Oval Office after the meeting.

Asked whether Biden indicated any deal-breakers, Coons replied "Speaking for myself, if there is zero for state and local aid, I think that's a non-starter."

Coons also divulged the three Delawareans discussed how to potentially increase the targeting of relief payments.

"He will do his best, but unity doesn't mean unanimity, and unity doesn't mean letting the minority party block progress in the Senate," Coons added.

In terms of timing, Coons said his view is that relief should come in "weeks, not months." Carper noted the $900 billion package passed last year mostly expires in the middle of March and expressed a desire for a smooth transition to new aid. 

Notably, Carper and Coons said the looming Senate impeachment trial did not come up at all.

-ABC News' Sarah Kolinovsky

Biden joined a House Democrats Caucus call Wednesday morning, telling members he's willing to further target relief payments in his COVID-19 "American Resue Plan" but that he will not go below the $1,400 amount proposed by the White House, according to a source on the call. 

"We can make compromises but we must take care of the people. We have to go big," he said, according to the source.

"This package gets money into the pockets," Biden continued. "We can't walk away from additional $1,400 in direct checks we proposed because people need and frankly, they've been promised it. Maybe we can, I think we can better target that number. I'm OK with that. But ... I'm not going to start my administration by breaking a promise to the American people.”

GOP senators whom Biden met with Monday night would scale back direct payments to Americans from $1,400 for those making up to $75,000, to $1,000 for those making up to $40,000 -- a plan Biden has now confirmed he's not on board with.

-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has announced a deal with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that will allow Democrats to take the chairmanships of committees nearly a month after the party took control of the chamber.

"I am happy to report this morning that the leaders of both parties have finalized the organizing resolution for the Senate. We will pass the resolution out of the Senate today," Schumer said in remarks from the Senate floor.

The two leaders had fought over the legislative filibuster and over committee budgets. Since Democrats are delayed in taking the helm of committees, it has, in turn, slowed Biden's Cabinet nominees who await confirmation.

For example, on the nomination of Merrick Garland as attorney general, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., is in a public feud with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. over the timing of a confirmation hearing. Graham has refused to hold a hearing before the impeachment trial of former President Donald Trump, and Durbin has threatened to force a hearing -- potentially canceling an upcoming President's Day recess to get Biden's nominee through. 

On COVID-19 relief, Schumer repeated on the Senate floor his belief that the country needs to go big and bold and confirmed he'll be joining Wednesday's Oval Office meeting with Biden and his committee chairs involved in writing relief legislation. 

"History has taught us hard lessons about the cost of small thinking during times of big challenge," Schumer said.

-ABC News' Trish Turner