House advances $ 1.9 trillion relief bill

On Monday, the House moved forward with its $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, setting the stage for approval later this week.

The House Budget Committee moved the bill forward in a vote from 19 to 16, while Democrats rushed to meet the March 14 deadline to extend the main unemployment programs. The party is trying to approve the proposal through budgetary reconciliation, allowing it to pass through the equally divided Senate without Republican support.

The main provisions of the bill include:

• A $ 400 weekly unemployment insurance supplement until August 29
• The extension of pandemic-era programs expanding unemployment insurance benefits for giant and self-employed workers and increasing the number of weeks that individuals can receive payments until August 29.
• Direct payments of US $ 1,400 to individuals earning up to US $ 75,000 and couples earning up to US $ 150,000, who spend US $ 100,000 and US $ 200,000 in income, respectively
• Help for families up to $ 3,600 per child over the course of a year
• A gradual increase in the federal minimum wage to $ 15 an hour by 2025
• $ 20 billion for a national Covid-19 vaccination program
• $ 170 billion to help K-12 schools and higher education institutions reopen and provide help to students
• $ 350 billion in support to state, local and tribal governments

Democrats say they intend to streamline the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine and boost the more than 18 million people receiving unemployment insurance in the United States. Party leaders have argued that they cannot afford to inject very little money into the federal response as the country tries to recapture some sense of normalcy.

“Without additional resources, we will never get to where we need to be,” said House Budget Committee Chairman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., At the start of the appointment hearing on Monday afternoon.

“We will not wait. We will pass this legislation and we will reverse the pandemic and the economic crisis,” said Yarmuth.

Many Republicans supported funding to boost the vaccination effort, but questioned the need for another massive aid package.

“This is the wrong plan at the wrong time and for all the wrong reasons,” Representative Jason Smith of Missouri, the main Republican on the budget panel, said at the hearing.

Smith noted that part of the money included in the account should not be spent until the following fiscal year. He also questioned why part of the stimulus money from previous aid accounts remains unspent.

Smith tried to postpone the vote pending accountability for the already approved stimulus spending, while insisting, “I’m not trying to kill your legislation.” The committee rejected this proposal.

President Joe Biden said he would rather pass a bill now, without any support from the Republican Party, than negotiate for weeks and agree to a smaller plan supported by Republicans.

“Critics say the plan is too big,” said Biden early Monday afternoon. “Let me ask you a rhetorical question: what would you like me to cut? What would you leave out?”

The president added that he is willing to hear proposals on how to make the plan “better and cheaper”.

“But we have to make it clear who we are helping and who can harm,” said Biden.

Congress’ failure to renew pandemic-era unemployment programs – from when they expired last summer until legislators passed another bill in December – has contributed to millions of Americans falling into poverty.

The bill passed by the Chamber may not be what eventually becomes law. The Senate congressman has yet to determine whether the House can approve the minimum wage increase in a reconciliation bill.

Democrats sens. Joe Manchin, of West Virginia, and Kyrsten Sinema, of Arizona, signaled that they could oppose the salary increase if it were allowed in the Senate proposal.

This story is developing. Please check again for updates.

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