Senate Passes COVID-19 Relief Package
Senate Passes COVID-19 Relief Package
**Special Edition**
After a marathon session, the United States Senate passed President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan, as amended, by a vote of 50-49. No Republican senator voted for the legislation.
The Senate was in a standstill yesterday for over 11 hours as the Democratic leadership and the White House negotiated with Senator Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., over enhanced federal unemployment insurance. The fate of the bill rested with the successful resolution of this issue. Finally, after the long delay, a deal was reached where Manchin would vote for the amendment to be offered by Senator Rob Portman, R-Ohio, that would extend the unemployment benefits of $300 a week through July 18, and he would also vote for a later amendment offered by Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore, to extend the $300 a week benefit until September 6 and exclude the first $10,200 from taxes for those making less than $150,000. The Portman amendment was agreed to by a vote of 50-49, and the Wyden amendment, which amended the Portman language, passed by a vote of 50-49 and is included in the bill.
The bill now heads back to the House of Representatives, which is expected to pass the Senate version of the bill this coming week. Then, it will be off to the White House for the president’s signature. The goal of congressional Democratic leaders and the White House is to have President Biden sign the bill before the current enhanced federal unemployment benefits expire on March 14.