President Biden urged the Senate Saturday to quickly pass his $1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill, saying “We have no time to waste.”
“If we act now we can finally get ahead of this virus,” he said at a White House podium in remarks that lasted less than two minutes.
House Democrats narrowly approved the American Rescue Plan Act early Saturday morning on a 219 to 212 vote — with no support from Republicans. Two Dems defected to oppose the massive spending measure.
“The people of this country have suffered enough,”Biden said. “We need to relieve that suffering.”
The bill includes $1,400 stimulus checks for adults earning up to $75,000 per year, with smaller checks for higher earners. Parents will get an additional $1,400 for each dependent child.
But Republicans have complained that the bill is loaded with pork — and stuffed with money for programs that have nothing to do with the pandemic that has taken 500,000 lives.
“Less than 9 percent of the bill will be used to fund public health,” House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said Friday.