House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) attends a press conference on the third day of the Senate Trial against former US President Donald Trump in Washington, US, February 11, 2021.
Erin Scott | Reuters
Multiple house committees have approved parts of the Democrats’ $ 1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan, with the chamber approving the full package by the end of the month.
The Ways and Means Committee put forward a critical piece of legislation on Thursday evening. It would send $ 1,400 direct payments to most Americans, extend major unemployment programs through the end of August, and give families up to $ 3,600 a year per child.
Other House panels, including the Education and Labor, Financial Services, Transportation and Small Business committees, have adopted their share of the proposal. Under the painstaking process of budget reconciliation that the Democrats are using to pass the legislation without a Republican vote, the House Budget Committee will combine the separate bills into one package.
On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters she thinks the House will approve the bailout proposal before the end of the month. The California Democrat expects the bill to pass through the Senate and onto President Joe Biden’s desk before the lifelines for unemployed Americans expire on March 14.
Democrats have said they need to act as soon as possible to inject more money into efforts to control the virus, speed up vaccinations, and captivate Americans struggling to pay for food and housing. With unified but limited control over Congress and the White House, they appear to be passing a bill on their own initiative rather than taking weeks or months to negotiate a smaller package with the GOP.
Republicans have expressed concern about the passing of another massive spending bill after lawmakers approved a $ 900 billion aid plan in December. A group of GOP senators met with Biden earlier this month and made a counter-offer of about $ 600 billion, but the Democrats dismissed the plan as too small to face the crisis.
Congress waited months to approve December’s aid package after major unemployment benefits and small business programs expired last summer. The passivity has contributed to millions of Americans falling into poverty, struggling to pay for food, and missing out on rent payments.
The latest government data shows that more than 20 million people receive unemployment benefits.
Democrats still have to overcome hurdles to get the bill through Congress alone. Not only must they ensure that the bill complies with Senate fiscal rules, but they must also not lose any Democratic vote in the chamber that is evenly split between parties.
The Committee of Ways and Means portion of the House Plan advanced Thursday contains much of the overall rescue proposal. It would donate $ 1,400 to individuals making up to $ 75,000 and couples making up to $ 150,000.
To allay concerns about using the money effectively – which jeopardized the plan’s passage into the Senate – payments would be phased out so that no individual or couple earns more than $ 100,000 and $ 200,000, respectively. check. Senate leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y., said on Thursday that the structure is “right on the margins” of what his caucus would support.
The bill, as approved by Ways and Means, would increase the current federal unemployment benefit from $ 300 a week to $ 400, extending it through August 29. It would also allow programs to expand benefits and the number of weeks people can receive unemployment insurance through the same date.
The plan would also stimulate assistance to households with children. Americans would get up to $ 3,600 per child for children under 6 and $ 3,000 per child for children under 18.
The relief would gradually decrease to $ 75,000 in income for individuals and $ 150,000 for couples.
Under key provisions in other pieces of legislation, it would be $ 20 billion in a national vaccination program, $ 170 billion in school spending, including reopening costs, and $ 350 billion in emergency relief for state, local, and tribal governments. Biden plans to meet with two-party governors and mayors on Friday to discuss the bailout package.
Democrats also proposed a minimum wage of $ 15 an hour, and Pelosi expects the House to pass the provision into final legislation. However, it is unclear whether the proposal will comply with Senate fiscal rules.
Two Democratic senators – Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona – have also expressed doubts about meeting a minimum wage of $ 15 an hour.
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