The House approved President Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion aid package for COVID in a 219-212 vote Saturday morning., send it to the Senate for possible rewriting before it reaches Biden’s desk.
The big picture: The vote was a critical first step for the package, which includes cash payments of $ 1,400 for many Americans, a national vaccination program, accelerated COVID testing and contact tracking, state and local funding, and money to help schools reopen.
- Two Democrats – deputies Jared Golden (Maine) and Kurt Schrader (Ore.) – joined the Republicans in voting against the bill.
What to watch: The bill is likely to undergo a review in the upper house after the Senate MP decided that the $ 15 minimum wage increase cannot be added to the aid package.
- The House kept raising the minimum wage in its plan, but that was mainly to keep progressive Democrats on the board before it was eliminated in the Senate.
- At a news conference on Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders insisted that they were not concerned that progressive Democrats would not vote on a final bill with Senate changes.
- “There is uniform support for this transformational legislation in the Democratic caucus in the House. There is no fair or partially blurred view” of the package, said caucus chairman Hakeem Jeffries.
Account highlights:
- Expanded federal funding for COVID programs, including $ 46 billion for testing and tracking; US $ 7.6 billion to respond to the pandemic in community health centers; $ 5.2 billion to support research, development and manufacturing of vaccines, therapies and other medical products; and $ 7.7 billion to expand the public health workforce.
- $ 1,400 stimulus payments for Americans earning less than $ 75,000. Individuals earning between $ 75,000 and $ 100,000 would receive less, with a limit for those who earn more than $ 100,000.
- $ 128.6 billion to help reopen K-12 schools.
- $ 350 billion in state and local aid.
- $ 25 billion in aid to restaurants and other food and beverage outlets.
- $ 19 billion in emergency rental assistance.
- $ 7.25 billion in loan funds from the Salary Protection Program.
- Unemployment benefits would be extended until August 29 and supplemental benefits would increase from $ 300 to $ 400.