PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — President Joe Biden is making his way to Chester, Delaware County, Tuesday afternoon, his first stop on his administration’s tour across the country to promote the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan.
The president said the U.S. is on track to administer 100 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and deliver 100 million stimulus checks.
Biden is expected to land at Philadelphia International Airport at some point Tuesday, and the motorcade will make its way to a small business in the city of Chester. The White House has not released any details about the business.
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White House officials say 400,000 small businesses closed during the coronavirus pandemic and many more are still struggling. A large portion of the money in the American Rescue Plan will pay for “emergency grants, lending, and investment to hard-hit small businesses so they can rehire and retain workers and purchase the health and sanitation equipment they need to keep workers safe.”
The package also funds stimulus payments for most Americans.
“By the time all the money is distributed, 85% of American households will have gotten a $1,400 rescue checks,” Biden said on Monday.
Individuals making up to $75,000 a year and couples making up to $150,000 would receive the full payment, with $1,400 added on for each dependent. The plan phases out payments to single filers making $80,000, joint filers making $160,000, and heads of households making $120,000.
Some already saw the money deposited into their accounts over the weekend.
Republicans have been critical of the plan’s price tag and where a lot of the money is going, including $350 billion for state and local governments. Democrats were unable to secure their funding in previous COVID-19 relief bills, when the GOP had control of the Senate and presidency.
Many Republicans, including Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, say local governments aren’t doing as poorly as projected and would be bailed out from mismanagement that started even before the pandemic. Democrats argue too many budgets are stretched thin because of a combination of the rise in spending to deal with the pandemic and the loss of tax revenue.
“Shots in arms and money in pockets. That’s important,” said Biden. “The American Rescue Plan is already doing what it was designed to do: Make a difference in people’s everyday lives.”
Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, who represents Pennsylvania’s 5th Congressional District, said Delaware County would receive $109 million, and the city of Chester — where the President is visiting — will receive $31 million.