Washington, United States
The new president of the United States, Democrat Joe Biden, on Friday, presented a plan to provide “emergency relief and equitable economic aid” to families, communities and businesses affected by the pandemic.
The president’s instructions are part of a package of measures worth approximately $ 1.9 trillion which Biden will send to Congress, where Democrats have a majority in both houses.
“The pandemic has put pressure on the United States to an economic crisis. More than 10 million people are unemployed, 14 million renters are in arrears, 29 million adults and at least eight million children struggle with food insecurity, “the document states. plan released by the White House.
LEA: Biden launches “war” strategy to contain the pandemic in the US
Biden’s initiative includes instructions for the Agriculture Department Expansion of federal food aid programs and the Treasury Department to adjust its programs so that aid reaches about eight million people who have not received aid since its inception pandemic.
“Across the country, one in seven is households and more than one in it every five African American and Latino households they report difficulties in getting the food they need, ”the ad continued.
“President Biden is urging Congress to provide additional support by ensuring that all people, regardless of their situation, have access to healthy and affordable food,” he added.
Since the pandemic started to spread U.S A year ago, the federal government first distributed a check for $ 1,200 and at the end of the year another $ 600 check to all taxpayers, and in his proposal, Biden adds the distribution of another $ 1,400 check as temporary relief against the economic difficulties of the population.
Biden petitioned the Ministry of Labor which clarifies that employees have the right, guaranteed by federal law, to refuse to perform tasks “that endanger their health, and that if they do, they will still be eligible for unemployment benefits.”
In one of the greatest potential impact initiatives included in the plan, Biden proposed increasing the salary of more federal government employees to $ 15 per hour, adding that the Executive should only “assign contracts to private sector employers. who pay the same pay to their employees and give them paid time off for emergencies. “
NEXT: Biden removes the “red button” Trump used to order diet soda
The announcement of the White House states that “in 2019, 43% of households reported that they had at least one family member with pre-existing health problems, and many of them are at higher risk of serious illness or death if they contract COVID-19.”
Biden “believes that employees should have the right to work in safe places and that no one should have to choose between their salary and the health of themselves and their families.”
During the pandemic government programs they have provided much-needed support to help tens of millions of people pay rent, mortgages and other bills, get the food they need and access health care, ”said the White House.
However, he added that critical support does not always reach those who need it most.
IT MAY BE INTERESTING: Biden proposes to Russia to extend the treaty for the reduction of nuclear weapons by 5 years
Many families have faced very complicated eligibility rules and so, for example, more than 20% of income tax credits have not been applied for and, according to a study mentioned in the statement, less than 40% of employees in the service sector have been made redundant during company closures, receive unemployment benefits.
The United States, the country most affected by the pandemic in the world, has 24.6 million confirmed cases and more than 410.00 deaths from covid-19, according to the independent census of Johns Hopkins University.