The Joe Biden White House is set to hold a meeting involving 16 state senators – eight Republicans included – on Sunday, to discuss the $1.9 trillion the President calls as the ‘American Rescue Plan’, two sources told CNN. The meeting according to the report must begin at 3 pm ET.

In an attempt at a fair bipartisan agreement, President Biden has asked Brian Deese, the director of the White House’s National Economic Council, to host the senators. 

“President Biden and his advisors will continue to engage and consult bipartisan groups of lawmakers, including today, to make the case why urgent action is needed to get relief to hard-hit communities and families and more resources to public health officials so we can ramp up vaccinations,” the source told CNN. 

As President Joe Biden in a preface to the relief package stated estimates saying about 100,000 Americans could lose their lives to the pandemic by the end of the month, taking the toll over 500,000. However, some Republican senators have opposed the bill staunchly. Mitt Romney of Utah, who told CNN that while he wants to “hear what the White House has to say” on its proposal, he’s worried about the prospect of the US borrowing more money “for things that may not be absolutely necessary.”

White House chief of staff Ron Klain said the administration does want to see the proposal passed quickly, but that engaging both sides is not the “enemy” of speed.

“We’re reaching out to people. I don’t think bipartisanship and speed are enemies of one another. The need is urgent,” Klain said. 

However, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders said that if the Senate doesn’t come up with a clear cut result – favouring the bill – the democrats will press the reconciliation button. 

He said, ” We cannot wait weeks and weeks and months and months to go forward.” Sanders was not among the senators invited onto the White House call, according to CNN’s tally.