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Biden
US President Biden’s massive aid plan to deal with the new crown epidemic was approved in the Senate on Saturday. Although all Republican senators voted against it, the $ 1.9 trillion plan still passed.
The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives is expected to pass the bill next Tuesday (March 16). Biden called the Senate vote “another big step forward” in fulfilling his promise to help the people.
The worst public health crisis in the United States in a century has caused nearly 523,000 deaths and 29 million infections. The current unemployment rate is 6.2%.
This is the third rescue plan in the United States since the outbreak of the epidemic, and it plans to distribute $ 1,400 to most Americans in a lump sum. Republicans say the plan is too expensive. Some Democrats also criticized certain provisions, leading to some compromises in the aid package, such as reducing federal unemployment benefits from $ 400 to $ 300 a week. Under this plan, benefits will run through September 6.
“Obviously it is not easy, and it is not always good. But it is very necessary, urgently necessary,” Biden said. He added that he hoped the bill would become law after the House of Representatives quickly passed it.
What does the new round of assistance include?
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A volunteer in Florida distributes eggs and milk.
This round of rescue plans will allocate US $ 350 billion to US state and local governments and approximately US $ 130 billion to schools. The plan will also provide $ 49 billion for expansion of new coronavirus testing and research, and $ 14 billion for vaccine distribution.
At the same time, the extension of unemployment benefits through September is a respite for millions of long-term unemployed Americans. Currently, your unemployment benefits will expire in mid-March.
The bill also includes financing for small businesses, as well as more targeted assistance: $ 25 billion for restaurants and bars; $ 15 billion for airlines, $ 8 billion for airports; $ 30 billion for transportation; US $ 1.5 billion is used for US railways and 3 US $ 1 billion is used for aerospace manufacturing.
Objection
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Extending unemployment benefits through September is a respite for millions of long-term unemployed Americans.
Although Republicans widely supported the previous two bailout plans (these two plans were approved by the White House and the Senate during Trump’s term), they criticized the cost of the Biden plan.
Before the final vote on Saturday, a 27-hour marathon vote was held. The 50-49 vote showed that the Republican Party was generally opposed.
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The two parties in the Senate are even, which means that every Democratic senator must support the party’s plan.
But on Friday, moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin voiced his opposition, arguing that this huge bill could overheat the economy. An agreement was reached after 11 hours of nightly negotiations.
Reaching a compromise on reducing unemployment benefits means this plan can go to the final vote.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the plan “will provide more help to more people than anything the federal government has done in decades.”
Before the vote, Schumer said, “This is a long day, a long night, a long year, but a new day has come. We tell the American people that rescue will come soon.”
However, Senate Republican leader McConnell criticized the aid plan. He said: “The Senate has never spent $ 2 trillion in such a random manner or with such a lax procedure.”
Schumer hopes the House of Representatives will pass the bill, and President Biden will sign it before the previous round of unemployment benefits expires on March 14.
