NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Congress on Wednesday passed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill that is set to deliver $1,400 stimulus checks to many Americans.
The House passed the bill days after the Senate signed off on the package, which aims to fulfill Democrats’ campaign promises to beat the coronavirus pandemic and revive the enfeebled economy.
The bill will now head to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law. He is expected to sign it on Friday afternoon.
House and Senate Republicans unanimously opposed the package as bloated, crammed with liberal policies and heedless of signs the dual crises are easing.
“It's a remarkable, historic, transformative piece of legislation which goes a very long way to crushing the virus and solving our economic crisis," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said of the bill on Tuesday.
A dominant feature of the bill is initiatives making it one of the biggest federal thrusts in years to assist lower- and middle-income families. Included are expanded tax credits over the next year for children, child care and family leave plus spending for renters, feeding programs and people's utility bills.
The measure provides up to $1,400 direct payments to most Americans, extended emergency unemployment benefits and hundreds of billions for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, schools, state and local governments and ailing industries from airlines to concert halls.
There is aid for farmers of color and pension systems, and subsidies for consumers buying health insurance and states expanding Medicaid coverage for lower earners.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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