Senate Democrats said Tuesday the impeachment trial for former President Donald Trump won’t derail their work approving nominees for President Biden’s Cabinet and passing COVID-19 relief.
Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer said holding the impeachment trial won’t throw any wrench into the Biden administration’s agenda.
The comments pushed back on Republicans’ criticism of using the Senate’s time to hold an impeachment trial for a president who has already left office.
“To the pundits that said we can’t do both at once, we say you are wrong. We can and we are,” the New York Democrat said.
He noted the chamber confirmed two of Mr. Biden’s Cabinet picks this week and that committees will continue to hold hearings for nominees during morning business before the impeachment trial begins each afternoon.
Democrats also promised to complete a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that aims to relieve American families of the health and economic distress caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
SEE ALSO: Chuck Schumer says Democrats will present ‘new evidence’ in Trump’s impeachment trial
Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, said the impeachment trial slows down vaccine distribution and job creation.
“These are the things I wish we were focused on — focused on getting more vaccines to people, focused on getting the economy growing again and getting people back to work, and focused on confronting the challenges before our country. We should be spending every second we’re up here working on those things, not on a trial to impeach a president who’s no longer in office,” Mr. Rubio said.
Mr. Schumer also said he’s still trying to include a minimum wage increase to $15 in the COVID-19 relief package. Mr. Biden has said he doesn’t believe the wage measure will survive in the legislation.
“We’re trying to work as well as we can with the parliamentarian to get the minimum wage to happen. That’s all I’m going to say,” Mr. Schumer said.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
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