Senate Dems eye final details of virus relief bill

Democrats sorted through lingering disagreements over emergency jobless benefits and other issues Tuesday and prepared to commence Senate debate on a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan that would deliver a major victory to President Joe Biden.

With Democrats having no margin for error in the evenly split 50-50 Senate, Biden was expected to urge them on by conference call.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he planned to bring the sweeping bill to the floor as early as Wednesday, teeing up first votes on a bill aimed at energizing the nation's battle against the pandemic and its wounded economy.

The huge package is a too-big-to-fail moment for the fledging president, who would be politically staggered if Congress - controlled narrowly by Democrats but controlled nonetheless - failed to deliver. Conquering the virus that's killed half a million Americans and thrown the economy and countless lives into tailspins is Biden's top initial priority.

But so far, Republicans are following the template they set in former President Barack Obama's presidency. GOP senators seemed on track to oppose the relief bill solidly.

The Senate bill was expected to largely mirror the House-approved package. Democrats want Congress to send Biden a final version for him to sign by March 14, when an earlier round of emergency jobless benefits expires.

Schumer also voiced support for the New York attorney general's investigation of Gov. Andrew Cuomo following allegations of sexual harrassment.

"I know the attorney general will conduct a thorough investigation that will be totally, totally independent without any interference, outside interference, political or otherwise," Schumer said.