US President Joe Biden is forging ahead with plans to ram through a $1.9tn (£1.4tn) relief bill without Republican support after disappointing jobs data.
Despite an Obama-era economist’s warnings the stimulus package may be too big, Mr Biden vowed to “act fast”.
The new president’s fellow Democrats run Congress, and plan to pass the final bill using a budget manoeuvre.
Mr Biden’s speech is being seen by US media as a shift in tone after he entered office pledging bipartisanship.
He met 10 Republican senators at the White House on Monday in the hope of a breakthrough, but brushed off their counter-proposal for a slimmed-down $618bn coronavirus relief bill.
Speaking at the White House on Friday after meeting congressional Democratic leaders, he said: “A lot of folks are losing hope.
“I believe the American people are looking right now to their government for help, to do our job, to not let them down.
“So I’m going to act. I’m going to act fast. I’d like to be doing it with the support of Republicans. They’re just not willing to go as far as I think we have to go.”