The House approved early Saturday morning with President Biden’s $ 1.9 billion COVID relief package at 219-212, send it to the Senate for a possible rewrite before it reaches Biden’s desk.
The whole picture: The vote was a critical first step for the package, which includes $ 1,400 cash payments for many Americans, a national vaccination program, increased COVID testing and contact tracing, state and local funding and money to help reopen schools.
- Two Democrats – representatives Jared Golden (Maine) and Kurt Schrader (Ore.) – are joining Republicans to vote against the bill.
What to look for: The bill is likely to be revised in the upper chamber after a Senate lawmaker ruled that the $ 15 minimum wage increase could not be added to the aid.
- The House retained the minimum wage increase in its plan, but it was primarily to keep progressive Democrats on board before it was stripped in the Senate.
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other Democratic leaders insisted at a news conference on Friday that they were not worried that progressive Democrats could not vote in favor of the Senate’s amendments for a final bill.
- “There is uniform support for this transformation legislation in the House Democratic caucus. There is no fair or partially cloudy view of the package,” said caucus chairman Hakeem Jeffries.
The highlights of the bill:
- Extensive federal funding for COVID programs, including $ 46 billion for testing and detection; $ 7.6 billion for pandemic response to community health centers; $ 5.2 billion to support research, development and manufacturing of vaccines, therapeutic agents and other medical products; and $ 7.7 billion to expand the public health workforce.
- Stimulus payments of $ 1,400 for Americans earning less than $ 75,000. Individuals earning between $ 75,000 and $ 100,000 receive less, with a limit for those earning 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 first aid.
- $ 7.25 billion in funds for Paycheck Protection Program loans.
- Unemployment benefits would be extended until August 29, and the supplementary benefits would increase from $ 300 to $ 400.