WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden encouraged Democratic lawmakers to “act fast” on his $1.9 trillion COVID rescue plan but also signaled he's open to changes, including limiting the proposed $1,400 direct payments to Americans with lower income levels, which could draw Republican support.
Biden told lawmakers in private comments Wednesday that he's "not married" to an absolute number for the overall package but wants them to “go big" on pandemic relief and “restore the soul of the country.” “Look, we got a lot of people hurting in our country today,” Biden said on a private call with House Democrats. “We need to act.
We need to act fast.” On the direct payments, Biden said he doesn’t want to budge from the $1,400 promised to Americans. But