The Senate’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package heads to the House, which hopes to pass it and send it to President Biden next week.
The chamber approved the plan in a party line vote as Republicans questioned the need for another broad spending package. The Democratic-held House aims to pass the bill in the coming days and send it to President Joe Biden for his signature before a March 14 deadline to renew unemployment aid programs.
The legislation includes direct payments of up to $1,400 to most Americans, a $300 weekly boost to jobless benefits into September and an expansion of the child tax credit for one year. It also puts new funding into Covid-19 vaccine distribution and testing, rental assistance for struggling households and K-12 schools for reopening costs.
Before the Senate passes the COVID relief bill, @SenSchumer should ask for unanimous consent for a resolution thanking the hard-working clerks whom Republicans made spend 10 hours and 44 minutes reading the Coronavirus relief bill–a reading Republicans didn't bother to attend.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 5, 2021
If Republicans force the Senate clerks to read the COVID relief bill out loud and slow down helping people, then they should sit there and listen.
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) March 4, 2021