Biden’s monumental stimulus package ready to be activated by Democrats in the lower house

WASHINGTON.- The The United States Senate yesterday approved the $ 1.9 trillion bailout and economic stimulus package promoted by the President Joe Biden, marking the Democratic administration’s first major legislative victory.

The bill was approved only with the votes of Democratic senators, 50 to 49. The personal absence of a Republican senator meant Democrats did not need a second vote from Vice President Kamala Harris.

The head of the House of Representatives, Steny Hoyer, indicated that the text will now be considered by the lower house on Tuesday, before a final vote.

In the majority, Democrats are expected to get quick approval for the plan, so Biden can enact it by March 14, when unemployment benefits from the previous aid plan end.

Direct payments of grants of $ 1,400 to citizens in addition to difficulties, extension until September of unemployment benefits and funds for $ 350 billion to states and local communitiesare some of the measures included in this mega stimulus package.

Billions of dollars will also be spent on fighting the pandemic, including $ 49 billion to promote diagnosis and encourage research, and more than $ 14 billion to increase vaccination rates.

The president praised the Senate’s decision. “It is a device the country desperately needs to emerge from the crisis caused by the pandemic”, he claimed. “We have taken a giant step forward to help Americans”declared from the White House the head of state, who had made this massive stimulus plan one of his campaign promises.

“It puts us back on the road to recovery, and beyond, by setting new principles for the care of our children, families and health. There is a lot to do, but the bottom line is that it will start and it will start almost immediately. “President Biden said in a video posted to his Twitter account.

Although the bill should have been removed from one of the Democrats’ proposals, raising the minimum hourly wage to $ 15, Democrats can claim a victory, being able to put their stamp on the way out of a pandemic that will hit states United has killed more than 500,000 people and severely affected the economy.

“This law will provide more help to more people than anything the federal government has done in decades.”, assured for his part the Democratic Leader in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, just before the final vote.

Debates were stalled for more than 10 hours on Friday due to reported behind-the-scenes opposition from a moderate Democratic senator over unemployment benefits, despite public support from the White House.

It was only after a call from Joe Biden to make concessions that this senator, Joe Manchin, finally ended up supporting a new amendment, which provides for the extension of benefits by $ 300 per week until the beginning of the month. from September, instead of until the end. of this month, as initially planned.

The Republicans have opposed this stimulus package, which they consider too expensive and poorly targeted.. “Never before has Congress spent so much money so inconsistently or after such a flexible process,” said Republican minority leader Mitch McConnell, however.

On Friday, Biden insisted the plan had to be approved without delay, tempering enthusiasm over the good results in employment figures. “It is an absolutely essential device to reverse the situation,” said the president.

“I do not believe that any of the commitments made have fundamentally changed the essence of what I have included in the bill as a priority,” he also observed. “This month, Americans who are in desperate need of help, (…) many of whom wonder at night if they are going to lose their jobs, their insurance, their homes, will be able to receive money.”added.

Progress towards approval of the plan has taken place in a more encouraging economic environment, which is reflected in an improvement in the labor market. In February, 379,000 jobs were created and the unemployment rate edged down to 6.2%. However, there are currently 9.5 million fewer jobs than in February 2020.

Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, welcomed the Senate vote and said that given the high unemployment rate, “It could take two years for the economy to return to pre-Covid-19 levels”, generating “economic scars that would last well beyond the end of the pandemic”.

Republicans were united in their opposition to the bill, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell issued a statement criticizing “the colossal opportunity missed by the nation.”

“We could have worked together to accelerate victory, but Democrats decided their top priority was not pandemic relief but Washington’s wish list,” the senator said in a statement on his Twitter account .

Although Biden promised during the 2020 election campaign to work as much as possible with Republicans, he was unable to attract a single vote from the opposition party. Still, he was not disappointed. “The American people strongly support what we are doing,” he told reporters. “That’s the key here. And that will continue to permeate the public, including our Republican friends, ”he added.

ANSA and AFP agencies

THE NATION

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