US Senate passes Joe Biden’s US$1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill in party-line vote
- The Senate voted 50-49, with no Republicans voting in favour, on what would be one of the largest stimulus packages in US history
- The fight is not over as the bill needs to return to the House of Representatives, which approved a different version a week earlier
The Senate on Saturday passed President Joe Biden’s US$1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief plan in a party-line vote after an all-night session that saw Democrats battling among themselves over jobless aid and the Republican minority failing in attempts to push through some three dozen amendments.
The final bill includes US$400 billion in one-time payments of $1,400 to most Americans, US$300 a week in extended jobless benefits for the 9.5 million people thrown out of work in the crisis, and US$350 billion in aid to state and local governments that have seen the pandemic blow a hole in their budgets.
The Senate voted 50-49, with no Republicans voting in favour, on what would be one of the largest stimulus packages in US history.
Several Republicans left the chamber immediately after the vote, while Senator Bernie Sanders fist-bumped Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.
US President Joe Biden said: “I promised the American people help was on the way. Today, I can say we’ve taken one more giant step forward in delivering on that promise.