The new president of the United States, Democrat Joe Biden, described a dramatic economic and social crisis in the world’s leading power and launched a large-scale plan on Friday to provide aid to families, communities and businesses affected by the pandemic. “It’s not just a moral obligation, it’s an economic necessity,” Biden claimed, saying he believes the coronavirus will leave “more than 600,000 dead” in the country.
With Vice President Kamala Harris behind him, the White House Democrat announced a $ 1.9 trillion package of measures that he will send to Congress for approval, where Democrats have a majority. Within hours of his inauguration, he remains focused on one of the highest priorities he has set for his mandate: slowing the spread of the virus and providing emergency relief to the most vulnerable.
“We must act now,” warned the new president, saying it is a time of need when the forces of the government, parties, workers, unions, Wall Street and ordinary people are urgently needed to unite to overcome this crisis. stop.
One of the decisions is to double the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour, which is $ 7.25 so far. In addition, they analyze the allocation of an allowance per child.
The US president re-signed a package of decrees to speed up protection over the damage from the pandemic. Reuters
On Thursday, he had already signed a series of executive orders to contain the pandemic, with an obligation to use the mask in federal areas and also the quarantine requirement for passengers arriving in the United States. From the White House this Friday, Biden estimated the pandemic could leave “600,000 dead.” There are already more than 400,000 and fatal accidents occur every day.
The pandemic has put the country in a serious situation unprecedented in history. More than 10 million people are unemployed, 14 million renters are in arrears, 29 million adults and at least eight million children are faced with food insecurity.
“We need to tackle the hunger crisis in the US,” said Biden, especially in the African-American and Latino communities most affected. “Families can’t last another day.” One in seven households and more than one in five African American and Latino households have trouble buying food, the president explains.
The initiative mandates the Department of Agriculture to expand federal food aid programs and the Treasury Department to adjust its programs so that aid reaches some eight million people who have not received aid since the start of the pandemic.
The initiative is considering giving citizens a new check for $ 1,400 as temporary relief from difficulties. This would add to the $ 1,200 and another 600 approved during the Donald Trump administration.
Biden also proposes increasing more federal workers to $ 15 an hour.
The incumbent of lower house Nancy Pelosi who will present the impeachment charge against Donald Trump in the Senate next Monday. AFP
The plan also asks the Department of Labor to clarify that employees have the right, guaranteed by federal law, to refuse to perform tasks “that endanger their health and that if they do so, they are still eligible. come for unemployment benefits ”.
The package will be sent for approval by Congress, where Democrats now have a majority and could run smoothly, even if Republicans could oppose increasing government spending.
As revealed by The Washington Post, Democratic senators are also working on a project to provide cash child support to the poorest sectors (the annual income limit has not been disclosed). It would be a monthly deposit of $ 300 for children under 6 and 250 for children under 17.
Lawmakers today will also look into other important issues. They are moving forward with the confirmation of the new cabinet, as in the US most ministers must be approved by the Senate. They have already given the green light this Friday to retired General Lloyd Austin as Secretary of Defense, who will be the first African American to hold that position.
But the most sensitive task arrives on Monday. The Senate prepares for the impending impeachment of Trump, accused by the House of Representatives of “ instigating insurrection ” during the January 6 attack on the Capitol, when a group of supporters of the former president raided the building amidst of a wave of violence that killed 5 people.
Now senate leader Chuck Schumer announced that the impeachment report against the former Republican president will be sent to the Senate on Monday. The Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, assured that the Democratic lawmakers who will serve as prosecutors are “ready” for the trial before the 100 senators. The upper house is the one to decide whether or not Trump is guilty of that position, and could even deny the opportunity to run again as a candidate in 2024.
The White House wants Congress to take urgent action to mitigate the crisis caused by the coronavirus. But the Trump trial will likely complicate Biden’s legislative agenda.