The latest Covid-19 package was approved by the Senate Saturday night with a 50-49 party-line vote. The amount is close to one-tenth the size of the U.S. economy and provides up to $1,400 of direct payments for most Americans.
This was a victory for the Democrats, but Republicans, who let go of three dozen desired changes but won some, have called the measure wasteful spending as vaccinations continue to increase and deaths/cases diminish.
Money will be allocated to Covid-19 vaccines and testing, states, cities, weakened industries, and schools that do not reopen or which let transgender students born male participate in female sports, which Republicans tried to prevent.
$300 weekly emergency unemployment checks will also be renewed and end September 6th, 2021.
A major loss to progressive Democrats was the $15 minimum wage hike, which was rejected by a Senate vote including eight Democrats.
This article is a summary. Read the original here. Photo by Caleb Fisher on Unsplash
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