House Approves $1.9T COVID-19 Relief Bill as President Biden Still Considers Lowering Income Threshold for Stimulus Checks
The $1.9 trillion budget for the COVID-19 relief bill that will provide stimulus checks to be given to the populace of America is on its way to the Senate after it gains nod from the House. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is still open to segment the handing out of the financial help as the direct payment could be delayed.
USA Today noted that the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package is a measure that will provide millions of Americans the financial help, upgrade the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine, and prolong the unemployment rate through summer.
Read also: Stimulus Checks Put on Hold Prompts Americans to Spend Less on Groceries
COVID-19 Relief Bill
CNBC reported that the passing of the relief bill is the first major legislative initiative by the current president of the United States. During the voting, House approved the bill in a 219-212 mostly party-line vote with Democrats joining all the Republicans in opposing the budget.
Yahoo! News mentioned that the bill known as the American Rescue Plan heads to Senate where it is expected to face the evenly divided chamber. Furthering its transfer of approval, the bill is dubious to receive any support from the Republicans that is why the U.S. President would have to rely on the Democratic senators and the vote from the vice-president to remain its strength and foundation intact.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expresses the importance of taking a vote to lessen the spreading of the notorious virus, inoculate COVID-19 shots in the arms of the Americans, support the populace financially, putting children back to schools, workers in their professions so that the nation can move forward, according to USA Today. Pelosi added her admiration to President Joe Biden's American Rescue Plan.
Yahoo! News noted that President Joe Biden and the Democrats are pushing to pass the said bill by mid-March before the unemployment insurance benefits provided expire which is included in the relief package given away earlier.
USA Today mentioned Biden's words that there is no time to waste; and that faster and bolder response will allow the nation to be ahead of the virus and make the nation's economy moving again.
Lowering income treshold
With the need for the $1.9 trillion budget passing in the Senate, the handing out of the $1,400 direct payment as financial aid to Americans will also be affected. Newsweek mentioned White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying that the President Biden is still open to lowering the income threshold of the stimulus checks. She added that Biden is willing to focus the allocation of the financial help to the Americans who need help the most; however, the President is not willing to have a negotiation regarding the size of the direct payments.
CNBC mentioned that the Republicans questioned the large proposal of the COVID-19 Relief Bill of President Biden, criticizing the particular scope of direct payments or the stimulus checks, state and local government support, and school funding. Some economists also questioned the scale of the bill.
Related article: Biden Says Next Stimulus Checks Will Be $1,400: Here's What You Can Expect
WATCH: "COVID-19 relief bill heads over to the Senate after passed by the House" from ABC News
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