The House passed President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill Wednesday.
In a 220-211 vote, House Democrats passed the bill without any Republican support. Only one Democrat, Oregon Rep. Jared Golden of Maine, voted against it.
The legislation passed the Senate in a 50-49 vote. Vice President Kamala Harris cast a tie-breaking vote Thursday in the Senate to begin the debate on the American Rescue Plan. Senate Republicans forced a number of votes on the floor Friday to get Democrats on the record regarding a number of controversial issues such as giving relief checks to illegal immigrants and raising taxes on small businesses.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has said the bill should not be called a relief bill, and listed other parts of the bill that have nothing to do with COVID-19. (RELATED: Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Bill)
Stop calling it a “COVID relief” bill pic.twitter.com/We8lKrVt7r
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) March 9, 2021
The legislation includes $1,400 relief checks for Americans and $350 billion for state, local and tribal government budgets. Democrats scrapped a plan that would have punished corporations that did not raise their minimum wage to $15 while rewarding small businesses that raise wages. (RELATED: House Votes To Pass $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Relief Package)
The Senate parliamentarian ruled a $15 minimum wage provision could not be included in the relief package. The relief package does include an expanded child tax credit and $130 billion to help K-12 schools reopen.
The bill will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk for a signature.
