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from the a-billion-here-a-billion-there-pretty-soon-you're-talking-about-real-money dept.
Biden signs $1.9 trillion stimulus bill, making $1,400 checks and child tax credit official:
President Joe Biden on Thursday signed the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, which includes a third stimulus check, for up to $1,400, and an expanded child tax credit. The IRS and Treasury will begin to send the new stimulus checks as soon as this weekend, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Thursday at a press briefing.
The bill signing comes just one day after the amended bill passed in the House by a vote of 220-211. The House initially passed the bill on Feb. 26, and the Senate approved it last week, albeit with some changes.
[...] Democrats had been pushing to get the stimulus package signed into law before current unemployment benefits expire March 14. Biden was originally scheduled to sign the bill on Friday, but it got moved forward after Congress sent the final bill to the president more quickly than anticipated, Psaki said on Thursday.
The stimulus package, called the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, includes changes made by the Senate last week, such as reducing income limits for the third stimulus payment and lowering proposed weekly unemployment benefits from $400 a week to $300 a week (though they'd extend through Sept. 6 rather than the end of August). The Senate also dropped a federal minimum wage increase from the legislation, but proponents say they'll reintroduce that at a later date.
How to watch President Biden's national address tonight.
House passes $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, sends it to Biden to sign:
[...] Here are the proposal's major pieces:
- It extends a $300 per week jobless aid supplement and programs making millions more people eligible for unemployment insurance until Sept. 6. The plan also makes an individual's first $10,200 in jobless benefits tax-free.
- The bill sends $1,400 direct payments to most Americans and their dependents. The checks start to phase out at $75,000 in income for individuals and are capped at people who make $80,000. The thresholds for joint filers are double those limits. The government will base eligibility on Americans' most recent filed tax return.
- It expands the child tax credit for one year. It will increase to $3,600 for children under 6 and to $3,000 for kids between 6 and 17.
- The plan puts about $20 billion into Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing and distribution, along with roughly $50 billion into testing and contact tracing.
- It adds $25 billion in rental and utility assistance and about $10 billion for mortgage aid.
- The plan offers $350 billion in relief to state, local and tribal governments.
- The proposal directs more than $120 billion to K-12 schools.
- It increases the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit by 15% through September.
- The bill includes an expansion of subsidies and other provisions to help Americans afford health insurance.
- It offers nearly $30 billion in aid to restaurants.
- The legislation expands an employee retention tax credit designed to allow companies to keep workers on payroll.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 12 2021, @02:35PM (1 child)
How is it the people most frequent to cite "the rest of the world" invariably have little to no clue about "the rest of the world"? Do a quick search for Denmark zero asylum [duckduckgo.com] and educate yourself. The American policy on immigration is *insane* and nothing at all like the rest of the world. The rest of the world treats illegal immigrants as illegal immigrants. This absurd concoction you create in your head where an illegal in "the rest of the world" can just walk into a hospital, make it clear he's legal, and do as he fancies is simply completely out of touch with reality. If there was an urgent condition, they would be treated (same as in America) and then generally scheduled for rapid deportation or expulsion.
Denmark in particular has a unique solution. They're planning [nytimes.com] to start sending unwanted illegal immigrants to a small island miles off the coast once used for the quarantine of contagious animals. As the country's immigration minister stated, "[The illegal immigrants] are unwanted, and they will feel that."
The US has gone just batshit insane, and the stuff we're doing is nothing like this "rest of the world." I strongly recommend you, after this dumb virus is passed, actually take the opportunity to see "the rest of the world" and you may suddenly realize neither it nor America are anything like what you are constructing in your mind.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by EEMac on Friday March 12 2021, @04:48PM
You're observing the collapse of a civilization. There's multiple possible outcomes. Try to guess what the result will be! Grab some popcorn and watch the show.