House Democrats approved their $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package in a party vote on Saturday morning, moving forward President biden
Joe BidenBiden ‘disappointed’ by the Senate parliamentary decision, but ‘respects’ the decision Taylor Swift celebrates the passage of the Equality Act in the House Donald Trump Jr. calls Bruce Springsteen’s dropped charges a ‘liberal privilege’ MOREmain legislative priority of.
Lawmakers passed bill 219-212, with two Democrats – Reps. Jared Golden (Maine) and Kurt Schrader
Walter (Kurt) Kurt SchraderHouse Democrats are expected to keep raising the minimum wage in the COVID-19 relief project for Friday’s vote. Democrats face unit test on the .9T Biden project. Senate Democrats are likely to face key unit test in the 2022 budget MORE (Ore.) – joining all Republicans in voting against. Democrats could only afford four defections with their narrow majority in the House.
The approval of the project comes days after the number of deaths from COVID-19 in the US exceeds 500,000 people, while more contagious variants of the virus remain a threat to contain the pandemic.
Lawmakers hope to harness the momentum of vaccines that gradually reach people to end the global pandemic that has shaken Americans’ lives for most of last year.
The aid package now goes to the Senate, where Democrats are expected to amend it next week and send it back to the House for approval before unemployment benefits expire on March 14.
The legislation, which was modeled after Biden’s proposal, includes provisions to provide a third round of direct stimulus checks of up to $ 1,400 for individuals, a weekly increase in unemployment insurance of $ 400 through August 29 and $ 8.5 billion in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to distribute, track and promote public confidence in COVID-19 vaccines.
Direct payments of up to $ 1,400 for individuals or $ 2,800 for couples are the largest pandemic impact payments to date, after the previous two rounds last year reached a maximum of $ 1,200 and $ 600.
Individuals with an income of up to $ 75,000 and couples who earn up to $ 150,000 would be eligible for the total amounts, while payments would be eliminated for individuals who earn up to $ 100,000 or $ 200,000 for couples.
Other important parts of the huge package include $ 350 billion for state and local governments, $ 130 billion to help K-12 schools reopen for face-to-face classes and an expansion of the child tax credit to $ 3,000 per child or $ 3,600 for children under six years of age.
But a component of the bill that the House passed Saturday morning is condemned to be left in the courtroom once it reaches the Senate: an increase in the federal minimum wage from the current $ 7.25 an hour to $ 15.
The Senate congressman decided on Thursday that raising the minimum wage would not comply with the budget rules required to pass bills in the reconciliation process, which Democrats are using so that their pandemic relief package is not obstructed. of the Republican Party in the upper house.
House Democrats opted to maintain the minimum wage clause in the bill as a show of support for the progressive priority.
“Even if it is inconceivable for some, it is inevitable for us. And we will work hard to shorten the distance between the inevitable and the inconceivable ”, Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiMinimum wage setback revives progressive calls to nix House Democrats, obstructing the Senate, to maintain the minimum wage increase in the COVID-19 relief bill for Friday’s vote Schiff sees challenges for the intelligence committee and community in the shadow of Trump MORE (D-Calif.) Said about the salary increase.
The push to raise the minimum wage to $ 15 was met with strong resistance from Republicans and a handful of centrist Democratic lawmakers, who cited a report from the Congressional Budget Office estimating that, while it would lift 900,000 people out of poverty, it would also lead to 1, 4 million jobs lost.
Only one acting Democrat, Congressman Kurt Schrader (Oregon), voted against a bill in 2019 to raise the minimum wage to $ 15. Although Schrader’s preference for a regionally-adjusted minimum wage rather than a federal law on $ 15 has not threatened the House’s aid package prospects, it is a more delicate balance for the Democratic 50-50 race in the Senate.
Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin
Joseph (Joe) ManchinMinimum wage reversal revives progressive calls for Senate Biden obstruction “disappointed” by Senate parliamentary decision, but “respects” the House Democrats’ decision to keep raising the minimum wage in the COVID relief bill -19 for Friday poll MORE (W.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) Expressed opposition to the inclusion of the $ 15 minimum wage as part of the COVID-19 aid package. Manchin called for raising the minimum wage to $ 11 an hour, arguing that it is a more reasonable level for a state like West Virginia.
Democrats are considering Sens’s proposals. Ron Wyden
Ronald (Ron) Lee WydenBiden nominee predicts post-Trump trade agenda. Labor expands unemployment benefits for workers who reject employers bypassing COVID-19 rules. Democrats hesitate to raise taxes amid pandemic MORE (Ore) and Bernie Sanders
Bernie SandersHouse Democrats will maintain minimum wage increase in COVID-19 relief bill for Friday vote Sanders disapproves parliamentary decision on minimum wage Parliamentary adopts minimum wage increase in coronavirus bill MORE (I-Vt.) That would impose penalties on large corporations that do not pay employees at least $ 15 an hour and encourage small businesses to increase workers’ wages.
A senior Democratic aide said on Friday that the Senate majority leader Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerHillicon Valley: Biden signs order for chips | Hearing about media misinformation | Facebook agreement with Australia | CIA Nominee at SolarWinds House Rules Launches New Text for COVID-19 Budowsky Relief Bill: Cruz Goes to Cancún, AOC Goes to Texas MORE (DN.Y.) is considering adding such a provision to the aid package, while the House’s top Democrats have yet to commit to the idea.
House minority leader Kevin McCarthy
Kevin McCarthySchiff sees challenges for the intelligence committee, community in the shadow of Trump Cruz hires Trump campaign press officer while director of conservative communications chases Cheney for Trump Comments from CPAC MORE (R-Calif.), For its part, called the tax incentive proposal “stupid” and questioned why the minimum wage and other clauses were attached to a bill related to coronavirus relief.
“The swamp is back,” McCarthy said during the House plenary debate. “For my colleagues who say that this project is bold, I say that it is bloated. For those who say it is urgent, I say it is out of focus. For those who say it is popular, I say it is totally partisan. You have the wrong priorities. “
The final vote on the pandemic aid package did not take place until well after midnight on Saturday because Republicans delayed proceedings for several hours when speaking to the House Rules Committee about the more than 200 amendments they submitted to the bill.
None of the amendments to the Republican Party, which covered the range of withdrawing the minimum wage provision to require K-12 schools to have reopening plans for face-to-face education in place to access full funding, were granted working hours.
It is possible that Democrats could pass a separate bill to raise the minimum wage, but it would be subject to a 60-vote limit to release a Republican obstruction in the Senate.
“I guarantee that there will be an increase in the minimum wage before the election,” said the chairman of the House Budget Committee John Yarmuth
John Allen YarmuthDemocrats ask for help to waive taxes on unemployment benefits Democrats in stalemate over minimum wage On The Money: nomination of Neera Tanden in danger after three Republican rejections | Trump rages after SCOTUS rules on financial records MORE (D-Ky.) I told reporters on the Capitol. “Hold me on this.”
Progressives are asking Vice President Harris, the Senate President, to override the parliamentarian’s advisory opinion or that Democrats abolish the obstruction to ensure that the campaign promise of a minimum wage increase can eventually become law under Biden.
“So it’s not just a minimum wage, because Democrats have made many promises to win the House, the Senate and the White House. And it will come up again and again. So, we’re going to have to make a choice here. Are we going to follow these rules or are we really going to use government levers to work for the people? “, Said the president of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Pramila Jayapal
Pramila JayapalBiden ‘disappointed’ by the Senate’s parliamentary decision, but ‘respects’ the House Democrats’ decision to maintain the minimum wage increase in the COVID-19 indemnity bill for Friday’s vote Bill would withdraw the pension of the president convicted of a crime. (D-Wash.).
“For me, this is not radical – this is governing.”