The debate on the $1.9 trillion package went on through the night. Vice President Kamala Harris cast the deciding vote to pass it with a simple majority at 5 am. No Republicans voted for it.
“And just a month from that day, we have taken a giant step to begin to fulfill our promise to the American people that a Democratic Senate, a Democratic House, and President Biden will have their back and move them forward during this awful crisis,” Senate Majority Leader Schumer said.
The final passage came after 15 hours of debate on amendments proposed by senators.
Unfortunately, so far, the goal of the bill is to provide handouts and bailouts to favored constituents without opening up schools and businesses during our anemic recovery. It will include people piling in illegally and schools that refuse to open.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT
Passing the relief package via the budget reconciliation process allows Democrats to sidestep the 60-vote threshold needed to approve most major legislation.
The resolution will now go back to the House for final approval, at which point committees be allowed to begin writing the bill.
THE SPENDING HAS ONLY JUST BEGUN
The trillion from the last package hasn’t even been spent and they are planning yet another package after the one passed today. So far, they have added $4 trillion to our enormous debt.
At some point, the dollar crashes and so does the United States. That opens the way for a socialist/communist economy.
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If you were wondering where the bill is, there isn’t any. There is a 19-page document floating around the Senate and House. What we have below is a summary provided by my congressional office.
THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
The American Rescue plan summary is based on what the Biden Administration put out there. There is no legislative text yet.
Committees are now instructed to build a reconciliation bill, but it will take some time for that process to play out, likely into mid-March.
God knows what they will add to the bill.
Biden COVID Plan
All we have is a 19-page document. Additionally, there is $350 billion for state and local governments, but there is no mention of the mechanism or any potential population thresholds.
General Overview:
- $1.9 Trillion proposal with no offsets
- Calls on Congress to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, and territorial governments to ensure that they are in a position to keep front line public workers on the job and paid, while also effectively distributing the vaccine, scaling testing, reopening schools, and maintaining other vital services.
- National vaccination program
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- $20 billion in a national vaccination program in partnership with states, localities, Tribes and territories. This will include launching community vaccination centers around the country and deploying mobile vaccination units to hard-to-reach areas.
- Ensures all people in the United States–regardless of their immigration status—can access the vaccine free-of-charge and without cost-sharing.
- To help states ensure that all Medicaid enrollees will be vaccinated, Biden also plans to work with Congress to expand the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage (FMAP) to 100% for the administration of vaccines.
- $1,400 per-person stimulus checks
- $30 billion into the Disaster Relief Fund to ensure sufficient supplies and protective gear, and to provide 100% federal reimbursement for critical emergency response resources to states, local governments, and Tribes, including deployment of the National Guard
- $10 billion investment in expanding domestic manufacturing for pandemic supplies
- Provide $130 billion to help schools to safely reopen
- Brings back the emergency paid leave requirement from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act
- Extends pandemic unemployment
- $30 billion in rental assistance
- $25 billion for childcare providers
- Increase tax credits to help cover the cost of childcare
- $20 billion for public transit
- $15 billion in grants will help small businesses
- $35 billion in government funds into investment in state, local, tribal, and non-profit small business financing programs
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