US Congress passes $892 bln in COVID relief measures
The US House of Representatives and the Senate have passed an $892 billion (€729 billion) COVID relief package to help businesses and individuals hit by… Read More »
The US House of Representatives and the Senate have passed an $892 billion (€729 billion) COVID relief package to help businesses and individuals hit by the pandemic in the United States.
The package was supported by both Democrats and Republicans and was rushed through both chambers of Congress.
The House approved the measure by a vote of 359-53 and the Senate voted 91-7 to send the bill to outgoing president Donald Trump. The White House has already confirmed that Trump would sign off on the 5,593-page bill, which is believed to be the longest in US history.
Under the new package, most US citizens will receive $600 in a one-time direct payment, and will establish $300 per week in temporary supplemental jobless benefits.
The bill is also set to provide hundreds of billions of dollars in additional aid to small businesses as well as $25 billion for rental assistance. The initiative also includes aid for vaccine distribution and logistics.
It provides $82 billion in funding for colleges and schools, $45 billion for public transportation agencies, including $4 billion for the New York City subway and bus system. It also includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for entertainment venues and cultural institutions that have been forced to close during the pandemic
According to the latest data, more than 319,000 people have died and more than 18 million have been infected by of the coronavirus in the US, making it the world’s worst-hit country by the pandemic.