Biden wants Congress to take action on gun reform

Congressional Democrats renewed calls Thursday for Biden to cancel up to $50,000 in federal student loans per person.

The Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, said Thursday that canceling loans would provide a much-needed boost to the economy and help lift communities of color.

"Debt holds people back from buying cars, from going on vacations, from starting families, from getting the job they want to get, it's a huge anchor on our entire economy," Schumer said. "There's very little that the president could do with a flick of a pen that would boost our economy more than canceling $50,000 of student debt."

However, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday that Biden supports a more modest proposal: up to $10,000 in student loan forgiveness per person.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

The Senate approved a budget resolution early Friday that would allow for the passage of Biden's $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package without Republican support.

Harris broke a 50-50 tie in the Senate by casting a vote in favor of the Democratic measure, which was approved by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. The resolution now goes back to the House for final approval.

Biden has said he hopes to garner Republicans' support for his relief package, billed as the American Rescue Plan, though Democrats are working to push it through Congress with or without the GOP.

Earlier this week, the president met with Republican senators to discuss the package in an effort to generate bipartisan support.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., sobbed while speaking on the House floor, describing the death threats she has received as a Muslim woman in Congress.

While she said she wasn't on Capitol Hill during the insurrection, the day brought up disturbing memories for her -- trauma that she said she will never escape. 

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez walked up to console her, placing a hand on her shoulder for a few moments and quietly standing by her side as Tlaib resumed her remarks.

"This is so personal. This is so hard because as many of my closest colleagues know, on my very first day of orientation, I got my first death threat," Tlaib said. "I didn't even get sworn in yet, and someone wanted me dead, just for existing."

"So what happened on January 6, all I could do was thank Allah (God), that I wasn't here. I felt overwhelming relief, and I feel bad for Alexandria and so many of my colleagues who were here," she said through tears.

"I have to tell you, the trauma from just being here, existing as a Muslim, but imagine my team ... they are diverse ... I worry every day for their lives because of this rhetoric. I never thought that they would feel unsafe here," she said. 

"I ask my colleagues to please try not to dehumanize what's happening. This is real. ... Please take what happened on January 6 seriously," she said.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan

House Democrats will head to the White House on Friday for a meeting with Biden to discuss his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 rescue package, sources familiar confirm to ABC News.

This will be Biden's first in-person meeting with House Democrats since being sworn in. The meeting includes House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer, and other party leaders and committee chairs.

Biden met with a group of 10 Republican senators on Monday who offered a counterproposal to the president's relief bill and with 11 Democratic Senate leaders on Wednesday.

"We'll get Republican support," Biden said Wednesday of negotiations over his bill. "I think we'll get some Republicans."

-ABC News' Mariam Khan