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After a 25-hour plus marathon voting session, the Senate has passed a $1.9 trillion covid relief package.
The American Rescue Plan passed on a 50-49 party-line vote with no Republicans voting for the bill. Alaskan Republican Senator Dan Sullivan left Washington D.C on Friday to attend his father-in-law’s funeral, so Vice President Kamala Harris was not needed to cast a tie-breaking vote.
The package delivers a new round of financial assistance to Americans grappling with the impact of the pandemic, including $1,400 direct payments, an extension of supplemental unemployment benefits, and an increase to the child tax credit.
Individuals earning up to $75,000 and couples earning up to $150,000 would receive the full direct payments of $1,400 per person. But those payments would phase out for individuals and couples who make more than $80,000 and $160,000, respectively.
Federal unemployment benefits would be extended through Sept. 6 at the current rate of $300 per week, and the first $10,200 of those benefits would be tax-free for households that earn $150,000 or less.
The bill now goes to the House, where they will revote on the final version before it heads to President Biden for his signature.
