Republican Veterans Cause Trouble Right After Inauguration: "Stimulus Package Approved Last Month, Again?"

Senators Mitt Romney and Lisa Murkowski Skeptical of Biden's $1.9 Trillion Stimulus Bill

Senator Mitt Romney (Republican, Arizona, left) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) [Image source= EPA·Yonhap]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] "The ink on the $900 billion (approximately 990 trillion won) stimulus bill hasn't even dried yet."

Senior Republican lawmakers in the United States have expressed skeptical reactions one after another to the $1.9 trillion stimulus plan proposed by President Joe Biden. This is creating an impression of obstruction and power struggles immediately after the inauguration.

According to Bloomberg on the 20th (local time), Senator Mitt Romney (Arizona) told reporters right after Biden's inauguration, "We just recently passed a $900 billion stimulus bill," adding, "We are not considering a new stimulus package in the near future."

Senator Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) also said she does not agree with President Biden's view that a new stimulus package is necessary, though she expressed willingness to review it.

Senator Murkowski said, "The ink on the $900 billion stimulus bill hasn't even dried yet, and the president has proposed a large stimulus package of $1.9 trillion," adding, "Because of the large scale, it will require sufficient discussion and deliberation."

Both Romney and Murkowski were figures who supported the $900 billion stimulus bill passed last month.

Officials from President Biden's side are reportedly already contacting influential lawmakers from both parties, asking for support for the stimulus bill. Senator Murkowski said she has already met with Biden's team and received explanations about the bill. Senator Joe Manchin (West Virginia) also said he is likely to meet with Biden's team this weekend.

Officially inaugurated as the 46th President of the United States, Biden is expected to expedite the passage of the $1.9 trillion stimulus bill. He served as vice president during Barack Obama's presidency from 2009 to 2017. The early days of his vice presidency were marked by the need to manage the global financial crisis triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in September 2008. Due to that experience, Biden believes that measures for economic stimulus must be implemented swiftly. Immediately after his inauguration, Biden wrote on the official presidential Twitter account, "We have no time to waste to overcome the crisis we are facing."

The power struggle between President Biden and the Republicans is just beginning. Biden is scheduled to unveil a second major economic bill next month aimed at long-term economic reconstruction. He is known to plan to push for high-intensity economic reforms such as raising the minimum wage, which most Republican lawmakers oppose.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.