Coronavirus: US Senate Passes Major $1.9tn Relief Plan

Coronavirus relief fund by President Joe Biden is speared at lifting Americans from the woeful mud of Covid 19. The $1.9tn ( £1.4tn) bill was passed by the US Senate on Saturday despite every Republican senator voting against it.

Next Tuesday, the House of Representatives that is majorly dominated by Mr. Biden’s Democrats is expected to also pass the bill. Mr. Biden pronounced the Senate vote as “one more giant step forward” in delivering the promise to help people.”

Coronavirus is the US’s most deteriorating public health chaos in a century and over 523,000 citizens have lost their lives and almost 29 million people were infected with the unemployment rate at 6.2%.

The relief bill, which is going to be the third in United State since the start of the pandemic – it comprises one-off payments worth $1,400 to be received by the citizens. Mr. Biden said the payment distribution would be kick start later this month.

The main thing the Republicans were saying is that it’s too costly and some Democrats have also lent voices to criticism of certain provisions and the party’s leadership was forced to make s number of compromises, and the noticeable one includes lowering of federal unemployment benefit from $400 to $300 a week. The plan will be extended until the sixth of September.

“It obviously wasn’t easy. It wasn’t always pretty. But it was so desperately needed, urgently needed,” President Biden said. He further explained that he hoped for a “quick passage of the bill in the House so that he could sign it into law”.

Details of the Coronavirus Relief Package

The so-called American Rescue Plan allocates $350bn to state and local governments and some $130bn to schools.

It would also provide $49bn for expanded Covid-19 testing and research, as well as $14bn for vaccine distribution.

The $1,400 stimulus cheques will be quickly phased out for those with higher incomes – at $75,000 for a single person and couples making more than $150,000.

The extension of unemployment benefits until September, however, is going to a major postponement for several million of long -term unemployed Americans whose right to benefit is currently due to be terminated in mid-march.

This Coronavirus bill also comprises of grants for mini businesses and more encircled funds:” $25bn for restaurants and bars; $15bn for airlines and another $8bn for airports; $30bn for transit; $1.5bn for Amtrak rail and $3bn for aerospace manufacturing.”