President Trump on Sunday signed a $ 2.3 billion COVID-19 bill on government funding and government funding that includes $ 600 stimulus checks for most Americans, after days of refusing to accept the deal.
The nearly 5,600-page bill was passed by the House and Senate by overwhelming margins Monday night, hours after its text was made public.
Trump signed it a few days after saying the legislation was a ‘disgrace’ and called on Congress to push relief payments to $ 2,000 and a reduction in spending.
The president said in a statement Sunday night that he would ask for millions of dollars to be removed from spending.
“I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes it clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed,” Trump said.
While the president insisted that he send a new version of the Congress to Congress with items that had to be removed during the recall process, these are only proposals to Congress. The bill, as signed, will not necessarily be changed.
The account authorizes direct checks of $ 600 for people earning up to $ 75,000 per year. The amount decreases for higher earners and people earning more than $ 95,000 get nothing.
There is an additional charge of $ 600 per child incentive.
The bill also creates a weekly unemployment supplement of $ 300 and supplements a forgivable lending program for small businesses. It provides protection against evictions and money for the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and transit systems with cash bonds. But the legislative package also includes measures not related to the pandemic, such as the creation of new criminal fines, including jail time for violating copyright law with online streaming.
In his statement, Trump said Congress would vote Monday on a separate bill to “increase payments to individuals from $ 600 to $ 2,000.”
“Therefore, a family of four would receive $ 5,200,” the president said of the increase, which would require Republican approval.
The idea of issuing fatter checks is supported by the Democratic-controlled House, but will likely be ignored by the Republican Senate, where spending is opposed.
Both sides of the aisle nevertheless welcomed the fact that Trump signed the bill on Sunday night.
“The compromise law is not perfect, but it will do an enormous amount of good for struggling Kentuckians and Americans across the country who now need help,” Senate Leader Mitch McConnell said. “I thank the president for signing this legal aid.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Trump’s decision to sign the bill was ‘welcome news’ for a country struggling to recover from a pandemic that shattered small businesses and led to high unemployment.
“This relief law is a down payment of what is needed to crush the virus, put money into the American people and honor our heroes – our health care workers, first responders, transit and sanitation workers and teachers,” Pelosi said. a statement.
“We must provide strong support to the state and local government to distribute and administer a vaccine, keep workers employed and prevent destructive service cuts – and we must do so as soon as possible.”
Pelosi also called on Republicans to join the president in increasing individual stimulus controls to $ 2,000 per person.