(GNB- Washington DC): The U.S. Senate approved President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan Saturday, securing additional aid for American families, workers and businesses.
After an all-night “vote-a-rama” and a more than 24 hours long debate, the evenly divided U.S. Senate voted 50-49 to approve the measure.
This would be one of the largest stimulus packages in U.S. history and a legislative victory for the Biden administration.
The vote was 50 to 49 on a party-line vote. The legislation is now expected to go back to the House for a final vote before Biden signs it into law.
The package provides financial assistance to Americans including $1,400 direct payments, extended emergency unemployment benefits, and vast piles of spending for COVID-19 vaccines and testing, states and cities, schools and ailing industries, along with tax breaks to help lower-earning people, families with children and consumers buying health insurance.
Individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 would receive the full direct payments of $1,400 per person. But those payments would phase out for individuals and couples who make more than $80,000 and $160,000, respectively.
Federal unemployment benefits would be extended through Sept. 6 at the current rate of $300 per week and the first $10,200 of those benefits would be tax-free for households that earn $150,000 or less.
What you need to know
- The so-called vote-a-rama on bill amendments lasted more than 25 hours
- The bill provides direct payments of up to $1,400 for most Americans, extended emergency unemployment benefits and more
- A minimum wage increase introduced by Senator Sanders failed, 58-42
- House Majority Leader Hoyer says the House will take up the Senate version of the bill early next week.
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