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House Passes $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan

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Washington, DC., USA, January 3, 2017 Members of the 115th congress and their familes-American Rescue Plan-SS-Featured

In a tense 220-211 vote, the US House of Representatives approved the massive $1.8 trillion American Rescue Plan that will provide coronavirus relief to Americans. This will immediately head to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. 

RELATED: $15 Minimum Wage Ruled Not Part of COVID Relief Bill

Without GOP Support

Unlike the previous installments of relief packages, the American Rescue Plan did not enjoy Republican support. Voting came down to party lines, with all GOP House members voting against the measure.  A lone Democrat, Representative Jared Golden of Maine, joined the Republicans in voting against it. “Why would we print and borrow $2 trillion when we're so close to crushing this virus and returning to a way of life that all Americans sacrificed?” asked Representative Lloyd Smucker (PA).

After the vote, Republicans took aim at the Democrats, saying this was more than coronavirus relief. At the same time, the GOP worried about potential inflation and potentially overheating the economy. “So let’s be clear. This isn’t a rescue bill, it isn’t a relief bill, it’s a laundry list of left-wing priorities that predate the pandemic and do not meet the needs of American families,” said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (CA).

Using the Reconciliation Process

Knowing full well that they hold a thin majority, Democrats went for a process called reconciliation to pass the relief bill in the Senate. This allowed them to vote on the measure and secure approval through sheer numbers. Usually, votes in the Senate require a two-thirds majority. The House earlier passed legislation for the relief plan, but the Senate signed a version that moved some of the House’s excess proposals. Also, reconciliation allowed Democrats to put in measures opposed by Republicans. This includes $350 billion in aid for state and local governments. GOP members say that the budget is a political handout that is too excessive. 

In addition, the Democrats also used the reconciliation process to sneak in provisions that have nothing to do with coronavirus. This includes a measure to enact a federal $15 an hour minimum wage. Ultimately, the Senate Parliamentarian recommended dropping the measure, as it has no relation whatsoever to the bill. Democrats ignored the recommendation and proceeded to vote on the measure, which won. However, the Senate removed the measure, and along with a reduction in unemployment benefits signed the new version. The recent House vote dealt with the Senate version. Republicans decried the fact they got shut out of the process through reconciliation, Also, they said that the package is too broad. In their estimation, only 9% of the funds will go directly toward COVID-19 relief

Relief Bill Contents

The American Rescue Plan provides a one-time $1,400 check to many Americans as support for hardships caused by the pandemic. Americans earning up to $75,000, or couples earning under $150,000 are eligible for the support. In addition, the bill provides allowances for dependent children worth upwards of $300 per month for each child under the age of six, or $3,600 a year. For older children up to age 17, families will get $3,000 a year in the new child tax credit program.

The bill also extends the jobless aid supplement by $300/week through September 6. In addition, it makes the first $10,200 of jobless benefits tax-free to households with incomes under $150,000.

Other Items in the Budget 

Aside from the direct payments, unemployment, and child tax credits, the bill provides $14 billion to distribute vaccines. Also, it sets aside $49 billion for Covid-19 testing, contact tracing, and personal protective equipment. In addition, the bill contains $125 billion for K-12 schools and around $40 billion for higher education. Then, there is $39 billion in child care grants, $25 billion in rental assistance, and $30 billion for public transit. 

Also, the bill contains provisions to aid certain industries suffering from the pandemic. This includes support for the airline industry, the restaurant industry, and concert venue operators. Meanwhile, the controversial Paycheck Protection Program will get $7.25 billion in new money to service loans for small businesses. It will now allow more nonprofits to apply, including advocacy groups and lobbyists.

Watch the Bloomberg Quicktake Now video coverage as the House passes $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus package:

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Do you support the American Rescue Plan? Are you eligible for the stimulus checks that the government will issue? More importantly, do you think this will work and improve the American economy during this time of the pandemic? Let us know what you think. Share your comments below.

32 Comments

32 Comments

  • robert E Reid Jr says:

    Simply the left buyig what votes they can while lining their pockets with laundered money ,paying off IOU’s to foreign nations ,and continuing puttinf “WE THE PEOPLE” last !
    Funny how they have forgotten they work for us!

  • Beverly says:

    It works great for the economy for a while, because the checks are spent on stuff like TV’s and new phones, pretty much everything but trying to pay back rent or mortgages. But why should we, the government will pay the rent and mortgages of all the people who haven’t even attempted to pay for the last 1 1/2 years. Plus their food and utilities and health care. Heck with what they keep doing with unemployment, why even go back to work, let the government pay my bills. Or should I say Us Working Stiffs!!!!

  • Joseph Zebley says:

    Another step on the slippery slope toward increased government dependence, the welfare state, and socialism. Just like LBJs misguided “Great Society” this massive increase in Gov programmatic “aid” will further increase poverty and societal divisiveness.

  • GRANDMA says:

    GIVE ME A BREAK ! LESS THAN 2% GO TO WE THE PEOPLE AND MORE GO OVERSEAS AND TO SPECIAL INTEREST ! PEOPLE WE WILL HAVE HIGHER TAXES AND PAY HIGHER PRICES FOR GAS, FOOD, ELECTRICITY AND ALL. WE NEED TRUMP BACK ASAP !

  • Doc says:

    The Special Interest groups have all been paid off in this stimulus package and the ones prior to it. This brings in the much needed votes for the liberal agenda. Sickening to watch politicians and crooked organizations take advantage of the citizens who supposedly run this country. Only one way to change all this is with votes but they seem to control that with corrupt voting systems as well. Another civil war may be in the future. May be the only way to end this nonsense of America destruction.

  • J. Miller says:

    Why and the hell are we paying for homeless people in San Francisco ( Pelosi ‘s city). Bailing them out as well as NEW YORK AND Pennsylvania??
    The other 47 states have homeless…and the millions of ILLEGAL ALIENS crossing the border will be getting free money!!
    ONLY 9% of the trillion dollars is going for GOOD!!!! 9%!,,
    I’m not getting a check…but my taxes are going to SAN FRANCISCO, cuomos state, and Pennsylvania, Three ares where
    Voter fraud and cheating happened!!

    Let’s send 20 more million dollars to sex change clinics around the world!!
    The 1000 dollar check does not help country!!! It’s only 1 weeks pay!!! And 50% will be used un wisely!!

    Politicians are FK ‘N stupid!!!
    Trump was right…95% are crooked and think of themselves… while their areas they represent…are not taken care of!!!

    Do you know the only thing bad about 3 747’s ( filled with Politicians and left wingers) crashing in shark filled ocean waters??????? There were 3 empty sheets 😁😁😁😁😁

  • Dee Bagent says:

    Lets get back to the CONSTITUTION!!!! This administration is WRONG.. They want to destroy AMERICA… That is what they are doing…

  • Esther says:

    I agree w all of the above. Unfortunately our God created world is full of really unthinkable bad stuff. Prayerfully the unthinkable will be replaced w common sense. For now we remain stuck w offensive, ridiculous governing all over the place. We r in a pandemic folks, govern for the people not against.

  • Carol Pereira says:

    If the Democrats continue their evil ways of destructive political policies sooner than not we will be s 3rd world country. .

  • Nate says:

    In time, Democrats will pass another such bill that will, with intentions, to help the same failing states that mismanage their budgets as other states that do manage their budgets well, will get stuck paying again! It’s rewarding BAD BEHAVIOR which will continue under Democrat management and rule! Not to mention higher taxes for those who choose to reside in those failing states!!!!

  • C R Lane says:

    Most people in the United States have idea what they are doing. All they see is what they think is free money. Most who get it will spend it foolishly. Other will in fact use it appropriately. Not to mention those who feel why not just stay on unemployment and get paid more than if they work. While an extremely large amount of the money is not going to any of us. Do the math! “Pork” is the extremely large amount of money not going to the citizens. It is going to states who were broke, money to foreign countries and kick backs. Note: It is in no way a free ride. All this money is a loan to Americans that will have to pay it all back and that as I see it will be impossible. Greed is the key to this whole mess. “If it sounds to good to be true is probably is not” Well get ready because you are going to receive money however it is not free. I hate to say it but Stupidity has raised it’s ungly head and you have closed your eyes to it.

  • Jamie Johnson, jr says:

    Here’s an ideal, cut senate & congress’ pay & while we’re doing that let’s set some term limits & a ban on being a lobbyist, they’re supposed to work for the ppl, by god let’s show em all the dam road- we can all just vote em outta office cause they don’t give a shit about thier boss (us.. i.e. the citizens), & yeah I’ve still not found more than 10 Biden supporters & what’s with the 20ft tall fence/lazerwire barrier, guess he’s the one that’s not planning on leaving office even if he were impeached, needless to say I’m very disappointed in the way this nation is being ran, all I can do is pray that the Lords Will be done, so I guess he’ll be returning soon because this is punishment

  • Michael Paul says:

    Pelosi and Company would offer-up their own families, if they thought it would bring them more votes. Spending is ALL the Democrats have; spending and open borders for future votes to replace the massive ‘walk-away ‘ votes they are losing due to their Socialist Agenda!

  • Grandpa G says:

    Remember this next time you vote for it. Just because you don’t like the tone of someone, look at the country as a whole! President Trump was right about a great many things. This joke of an administration will destroy us from within!

  • BooMurphy says:

    When they run out of our money, I hope they take big tech’s money. Like Apple, Google, Twitter

  • Bill Sells says:

    I can see cash checks for all Americans making under $20,000 per year or who have lost their jobs to Covid 19 Pandemic! To the Extremely Needy and others needing to feed their families! I cannot see Bailing out New York State and California and Oregon and Minnesota along with all Dem States who spent way past their State’s Budget and are now getting bailed out by us; The American Tax Payers! There is so muck Pork in this Bill and very little Covid relief! It has enough Pork to walk like the Pig it is! All Democrats did was put some Lipstick on it!!Get some Ice Cream Nancy!!!

  • DDB says:

    I agree with grandma. COME BACK TRUMP AMERICA NEEDS YOU.

  • robert iverson says:

    How did we get so stupid so quick ??? this cant stand $ will run out the printing press will burn up then what ? Who pays then ?? Bob Iverson

  • Preston says:

    This is bribe money and paybacks nothing more except for the Marxist Democrats to destroy America! Pelosi got 600 million dollars to help their failing Democrat run State. Reparations for blacks, why? Most Americans didn’t have anything to do with owning slaves and there were black slave owners and sellers. Also blacks have collected welfare and had special treatment for decades. Time for them to quit acting like victims. We are 27 trillions dollars in debt which means we have to borrow all this money with interest. This will cause further devaluation of the dollars. This will lead to hyper inflation. Food prices gas and electric along with the price of everything else will skyrocket! The Marxist Democrat need to be voted out of office as soon as the next election. Biden, Pelosi Schumer, Harris and AOC need to be impeached immediately. Make no mistake these people are out to destroy this Republic. All they want is power and money to Rule over the people.

  • CM says:

    The Marxist take-over looks like it will be well-funded. $125 billion for school indoctrination, $39 billion for “child-care”/education camps, $49 billion for tracking citizens movement, 8 billion for lobbyists and the rest to essentially cover up the disaster of failed socialist states like CA, NY.

    Throughout human history tyranny has been the rule, freedom has been the courageous exception. American exceptionalism is what’s kept us an exception to suffering under tyrants. Where are you America? Where is your courage? They control your children, they control your health, they control your right to speak, they control your right to assemble, they control your jobs, you can be canceled any moment for anything, soon they will own everything and you’ll own nothing. Stand up anyway you can before you no longer have lives worth saving.

  • Mike says:

    Relief is good, but we’re all going to pay for the Dems unnecessary pork…can’t wait to see Pres Trump back in office in ’24.

  • Darold Nordvick says:

    I wonder why they are giving people in lockup money on the same day they want give them the right to vote?

  • Jerome Cassidy says:

    It’s typical Democratic B.S. Give those stupid people just a portion of the pie but keep most of it for those who deserve it. (US) the Politicans.

  • Jameson says:

    I read this somewhere else: “It only takes one page of paper for a covid relief bill, but 5000 pages to hide how you spend the money”!
    We are being lied to daily by the media and the democrats! Think about it; what happened to the flu? Its non-existent. If you get covid, you have a 99.4-99.7% of surviving it.
    The death rate in the United States is the lowest in 10 YEARS! CHECK IT OUT. Yet networks like CNN AND MSNBC constantly pound the negative with lies and deception. WAKE UP AMERICA. REMOVE THESE LIARS FROM OFFICE, BOYCOTT THESE MARXIST NETWORKS. Otherwise, your freedom and liberty will disappear. The taste of greed is sweet on tongue of the enemy.

  • Debra says:

    I know people that can get a job but purposely don’t because they are getting free handouts and living with their parents in big homes that the parent makes good money. They quit their job just to do this. What is this teaching our future generation? The government comes back on me saying they are going to put a levy on me if I don’t pay back $177.00 to the IRs that I didn’t even know I owed in 2016. I don’t even own anything and can’t even collect disability when I need it. But so many people owe thousands wtf is going on in this country? This government is just lining their own pockets. Don’t think for a second this helping us we will pay it back in so many ways including gas prices and taxes. Thanks to all our Democratic supporter’s. Hope you are all happy now. You all suck.

  • shawn dunlap says:

    What’s the purpose of this bill? It’s definitely not for us, that’s forsure. Why do we need the relief now that masks aren’t even needed in some states? Plus tax season should allow lower income families to receive a pretty decent check in the near future if they worked and paid taxes throughout the year. It took months to pass the first one, it took months to pass the second one and took 1 month onces this goober got into office and to top it all off everything that has been achieved in four years have been squashed due to executive orders, go figure. He’s acting fast to make it look like he’s accomplishing great things for us, but it’s all bullshit, it’s really because he doesn’t want the american people to have enough time to read the other 4,999 pages of this bill. I knew this would be the case and called it long in advance…. Such shame that political achievements has became the number one priority and not for the well-being of the people providing their income. Why is it that they compete against each other? Americans need take are government back drop the parties, and allow the common citizens that face the normal everyday challenges to take it, because we are still wanting to achieve greatness, unlike the goobers in office now that feel they are already great and everything else is just a plus or more to line up their future generations. Which means stupid stays and logical gets thrown out if this keeps up unfortunately.

  • Sep Havel says:

    The Democratic Socialists Corruption and Narrative is contrary to Everything that the United States Constitution lays out for Making Laws..Sadly Not Enough Native Born Americans Care to Act😢

  • Gilbert says:

    Covid relief? seems to be about six months late.10% why even bother.Democrats don’t care about the people no more than they care about the USA.For four years nothing but scandals against one great President.A President that just wanted to make America great again. Amazing how a non politician did so much for our country.Biden and the Dem’s are going to ruin American they need to go.

  • Jeff Peck says:

    How is this going to help anyone? $1400 isn,t going to last very long, and will not employ anyone, or open businesses or schools, but it might buy some ammunition so I can protect myself. This is a slap in the face to every American. When inflation hit,s , you will still be in the same place you are now. Gas and food will go up, and so will everything else, so what have we gained? More debt, more illegal aliens taking our jobs, inflation going through the roof etc. And then we get to pay for all of it. NOTHING GAINED.

  • Anonymous says:

    Amen to all. What I can’t figure out is why people voted for this joker. We knew what he wasnlikemback in the Obama years. Did anyone actually think he was going to be better in his old age?. He is only doing what his handlers tell him to do or just read from the tele promoter, which even that seems to tax his strength. I know Trump could say things the wrong way, but that is not what mzkes a president a good president. It is what a president get actually gets done. But to see it all get undone by this so called president is disgusting. You get what you pay for so I hope the people who voted this guy in get slammed right back in the face and see the carnage they themselves have caused.

  • President worst enemy says:

    I thought Biden was for the people?? From wat I see he is for the business that fallen under and 80% of the relief form is going over seas to pay the idiots for something we have no control over…. Great job biden “ Don’t help the ppl of the United States “ We mean nothing to you!!!!! And those who are for him thank you idiots for higher gas prices, food prices on the rise, higher taxes and For voting out Americans work force such as closing the PIPELINE here in our country !!!!!!!!!

  • People Have Spoken Democracy is Not Broken says:

    I LOVE MY PRESIDENT**
    PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN
    Biden loves God.😇 Biden attends church daily.🗣️ God snatched America from the devil and total degradation by Biden’s winning 2020 Election. Stop killing by words. Stop killing by hate. Stop hating Blacks and Asians. Get your shot!! Hotshots.😜

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