Joe Biden announced the launch of a food assistance plan for more than 30 million children

United States President Joe Biden on Monday announced the launch of a food assistance plan to help more than 30 million minors.

“Today we are starting a new program funded by the American Rescue Plan to provide nutritional assistance to more than 30 million children during the summer. The help is there to make sure no child goes hungry in America, ”Biden said on his Twitter account.

The initiative is part Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion economic plan to deal with the ravages of the pandemic, which was approved by the United States Congress last month.

The plan includes a $ 350,000 million bailout for local and state governments, $ 20,000 million for a national immunization plan and another 50,000 for the covid-19 screening system, in addition to extending unemployment assistance until ‘on September 6, when they expire on March 14.

The bailout also includes funds for airlines, local transportation systems and the rail network, as well as food programs, rental aid or funding for the reopening of schools.

Biden’s original proposal called for an increase to $ 15 an hour in the federal minimum wage, which is currently $ 7.25 an hour since 2007, but that point has not garnered enough support.

In addition, included new direct payments of $ 1,400 to taxpayers with incomes of less than $ 80,000 per year.

This is the third economic bailout approved by Congress since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, following the $ 900,000 million bailout Congress promoted in December and the $ 2.2 trillion. dollars approved in March 2020, which was the largest in the country’s history. .

A total of 379,000 jobs were created in February and the unemployment rate edged down to 6.2%. But “at this rate, it will take two years” to return to the pre-pandemic level, the president warned last month before the bailout was approved. Right now, at least 18 million Americans receive benefits after losing their jobs or much of their monthly income.

New hires in February were recorded mainly in bars and restaurants, hard hit by the restrictions put in place during the pandemic. Other activities related to recreation and accommodation, as well as health services, retail and manufacturing also registered new hires last month. These figures suggest that the worst of the crisis is over and that businessmen seem to be focusing on the economic “mini boom” expected in the spring.

53% of Americans think President Joe Biden is doing his job well, especially when it comes to fighting COVID-19But its weak point is border security and immigration, according to a poll released on Sunday.

59% of respondents for the channel NBC disapproves of actions on the border with Mexico and the handling of immigration by the Biden administration, which took office on January 20 and will serve 100 days in power on April 29.

Only 33% approve of Biden’s handling in this sensitive area in which former President Donald Trump left his mark with a harsh policy not only with immigrants who entered the United States. without papers but with asylum seekers.

However, compared to Trump, Biden has higher approval in his first 100 days in office -53% vs. 40% – and lower disapproval -39% vs. 54% -.

With information from AFP and EFE

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