Daily US Times: President Joe Biden’s $1.9tn coronavirus relief bill to help Americans deal with the impact of the pandemic has cleared its final hurdle in Congress.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted Wednesday to approve the relief plan, paving the way for President Biden to sign his top legislative priority into law later this week and deliver aid to most American households amid the Covid pandemic.
Passage of the bill marks the first major legislative achievement of Biden administration and a Congress that is now under full Democratic control, with narrow majorities in the Senate and House.
House Democrats passed the coronavirus relief package on party-line vote of 220-211. No Republicans voted in favor of the bill. One Democrat voted against the it: Rep. Jared Golden of Maine. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that President Biden plans to sign the bill Friday at the White House.
Key features of the relief plan include up to $1,400-per-person stimulus payments that will send money to about 90% of American households, an expansion of the child tax credit of up to $3,600 per child, a $300 federal boost to weekly jobless benefits and $350 billion in state and local aid, as well as billions of dollars for K-12 schools to help students return to the schools, to assist small businesses hard-hit by the coronavirus pandemic and for vaccine research, development and distribution.
In addition, the far-reaching legislation helps low-income households cover rent, extends a 15% increase in food stamp benefits through September, makes federal premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act policies more generous and provides $8.5 billion to rural hospitals and health care providers.
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