Third stimulus check: who voted in favour in the House of Representatives?
A new coronavirus relief bill, including $1,400 stimulus checks is making its way to the Senate for approval. Who voted for the bill in the House?
The $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that has been a keystone in President Joe Biden’s early policy has just moved on to its next stage of life. Having passed a vote in the House of Representatives in the early hours of Saturday morning, following a marathon session in the chamber it will now be brought to the Senate for consideration.
The legislation, Biden’s first major agenda item, is a sweeping relief package aimed at stabilising the economy, ramping up vaccine distribution and would provide millions of Americans with $1,400 stimulus payments. The package comes less than three months since Congress passed a $900 billion coronavirus relief package.
Who voted in favour of the stimulus bill in the House of Representatives?
The vote in the lower chamber, which concluded early Saturday morning, was split largely across party lines apart from two glaring exceptions - Democrats who voted against the bill - Kurt Schrader of Oregon and Jared Golden of Maine.
The votes in favour were all Democratic Representatives.
The vote tally was 219-212, with all Republicans voting against the bill.
Shortly after the bill was passed, the President praised the work of the House members, "If we act now, decisively, quickly and boldly, we can finally get ahead of this virus. We can finally get our economy moving again, and the people of this country have suffered far too much for too long," he said, speaking from the White House. "We need to relieve that suffering."
What is in the covid-19 relief bill?
The sprawling relief bill, in addition to topping up December’s $600 stimulus payments, would extend enhanced federal unemployment benefits through August, provide $350 billion in aid to state and local governments and boost funding for vaccine distribution and coronavirus testing.
The legislation also includes funding for schools, nutritional assistance via food stamps, and housing aid.
A hotly-contested $15 minimum wage hike could prove to be the part of the bill that causes the most debate among Democrats.
Stimulus bill could pass into law by 14 March
Democrats are rushing to approve the legislation before 14 March when enhanced federal unemployment benefits, extended in the December covid-19 relief bill, are set to expire.
How long debate will be allowed to go on in the Senate to meet the deadline is uncertain but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi expressed confidence that the deadline would be met saying on Friday, “I would like it well before that.”
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