The House gave final approval to the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill on Wednesday, passing it to President Biden’s desk for his signature. The colossal package known as the American Rescue Plan allocates money for vaccines, schools, small businesses and anti-poverty programs such as an expanded child tax credit that would mean new monthly payments to many parents.
You may be thinking: Didn’t the House already pass a relief package? Yes. But then the Senate had to make changes to the bill some to satisfy Senate budget rules and others to gain the support of moderate Democrats. Once the Senate modifications were in place on Saturday, back to the House it went.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had urged Republicans to join House Democrats in supporting the bill, but in the end no GOP member voted in favor of it.
Republicans have argued that they were effectively shut out of the process through reconciliation and that the package is too broad, saying only 9% of the funds go directly toward COVID-19 relief. Both House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have labeled the bill a Democratic “wish list.”