Politics

President Joe Biden Signs $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan Into Law

(Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)

Anders Hagstrom White House Correspondent
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President Joe Biden signed his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan into law Thursday, marking a major victory in the first 50 days of his presidency.

The bill, which provides hundreds of billions in funding to schools and small businesses as well as $1,400 checks to most Americans, passed through Congress on Wednesday. Biden was originally scheduled to sign the bill during a ceremony on Friday, a full day after Congress delivered the bill to the White House. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki says Congress delivered the bill even earlier than expected, leading the president to sign the bill before the ceremony. (RELATED: President Biden To Sign $1.9 Trillion Coronavirus Relief Bill Friday)

Biden, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff are scheduled to go on a victory tour touting the bill’s passage Monday and Tuesday.

The bill passed through the Senate with a 50-49 vote on Saturday, dashing Biden’s hopes of a bipartisan bill. The plan received no support from Republicans in Congress.

“In this supposed new era of healing leadership, we’re about to watch one party ram through a partisan package on the thinnest of margins. Go figure. Republicans have many ideas to improve this bill. Many ideas. And we’re about to vote on all kinds of amendments in the hopes that some of these ideas make it into the final product,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said before the bill passed through his chamber.

While Biden was unable to secure bipartisan support for the bill, the relief nevertheless represents the fulfillment of campaign promises to prioritize COVID-19 relief after gaining office.

Biden’s only major loss in the bill is the loss of his $15 minimum wage proposal, which the Senate parliamentarian said couldn’t be included in the bill.