US Congress approves 1.9 trillion USD COVID-19 relief bill
(VOVWORLD) - The US House of Representatives has passed a 1.9 trillion USD recovery spending measure proposed by President Joe Biden to mitigate the financial toll of the coronavirus pandemic.
 US Congress in Washington DC. (Photo: Stanford News) |
The American Rescue Plan passed the House by a 220-211 margin without any Republican vote. It authorises 1,400 USD checks for 160 million US citizens, extends federal jobless benefits, and cuts taxes for middle-class families with children.
It also puts new funding into COVID-19 vaccine distribution and testing in order to achieve President Biden’s target of total public vaccination by the end of May. Schools, businesses, restaurants, and localities experiencing financial difficulties will also benefit from the bill.