Biden says 'no time to waste' on COVID relief bill
He made brief remarks Saturday after the House passed the legislation.
This is Day 40 of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
Latest headlines:
Schumer 'begged' Dems to vote for COVID-19 relief bill
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, in a remarkably candid moment, told reporters that during a closed-door lunch with his caucus Tuesday, he made a strong pitch for them to set aside differences over specific policies like the minimum wage hike and just vote for the president's COVID-19 relief bill.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., then went a bit further after Schumer left the room and said the majority leader had "begged" his members to drop their opposition, emphasizing that the relief bill is Biden's signature legislation, and they need to stick together.
"He's begging all of us -- despite disagreements people may have -- this is the Administration's signature bill...And we need to stick together," Durbin recounted.
Some moderate Democrats like Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., have expressed concern about a $15 per hour minimum wage hike included in $1.9 trillion relief proposal. Manchin said an $11 an hour increase would be more appropriate for his state.
Republicans have hammered Democrats for forcing the increase on businesses suffering under the economic strains of the pandemic, but supporters of the wage increase -- a doubling of the current federal minimum wage -- note that the Biden plan is implemented over a five-year period.
GOP Sens. Tom Cotton of Arkansas and Utah's Mitt Romney introduced a plan Tuesday that would increase the minimum wage to $10 per hour by 2025 with a mandatory requirement that businesses implement E-Verify to ensure undocumented workers do not receive the increase.
The GOP proposal is not expected to be adopted as Democrats speed toward passage of the overall Biden plan.
-ABC News' Trish Turner
Tom Vilsack confirmed as secretary of agriculture
The Senate has confirmed Tom Vilsack to serve as secretary of agriculture, in a 92-7 vote.
Sen. Bernie Sanders voted with six Republicans against Vilsack, who had the same role under former President Barack Obama.
-ABC News' Benjamin Siegel
McConnell to support Garland's confirmation as AG
A spokesperson for Republican Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed reports to ABC News that McConnell intends to support the nomination of Merrick Garland to serve as attorney general.
McConnell's support for Garland was first reported by Politico.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday wrapped up two days of hearings on Garland's nomination. The committee is scheduled to hold a vote on the nomination on March 1.
McConnell's support for Garland is in stark contrast to his 2016 efforts that successfully kept Garland from the Supreme Court bench.
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
McConnell doubles down against COVID-19 relief proposal
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell doubled down on his position that the COVID-19 proposal from Democrats is far too large, not targeted enough and flies in the face of bipartisanship during a press conference Tuesday.
"We think this is dramatically more money than is required at this particular juncture. It also includes a number of things that have absolutely nothing to do with COVID relief," McConnel said. "And so it will be controversial."
McConnell said his conference is united Tuesday in "opposition to what the Biden administration is trying to do," arguing that Biden, who campaigned as a moderate, has been pushing far-left policies since his administration began, calling Biden's "a totally partisan approach to COVID relief."
-ABC News' Allison Pecorin
Garland weighs in on body cams, domestic extremism
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., kicked off his line of questioning by asking Garland what his position is on police-worn body cameras to ensure accountability and trust between law enforcement and citizens. Garland said he believed personally "that body cams are a very important tool to protect both officers and the citizens." He specifically noted that body cams have helped the public see what officers were enduring on Jan. 6 when Trump supporters were attacking law enforcement officers.
Coons then asked Garland whether he believes the Justice Department has a role in working with the Congress to find solutions to spreading misinformation online and how it contributes to radicalizing domestic extremists. Garland said he didn't know of any legislation in that area but does think "that an important part of the investigation of violent extremist groups is following their activities online and getting an idea of what kind of information and misinformation is being put out."
When asked whether an independent commission into the events at the Capitol is appropriate, Garland said he believes Congress has the authority to pursue appointment of such a commission but that if confirmed he would ask that it not "interfere with our ability to prosecute individuals and entities that caused" the storming of the Capitol.
-ABC News' Luke Barr