The House of Representatives passed on a $3 trillion stimulus bill late Friday, which would provide funding for state and local governments, and send a second $1,200 check to most American adults.
Democrats passed the bill by a small 208-199 margin despite the opposition from Donald Trump, and Republicans. According to reports, fourteen Democrats opposed the bill, and one Republican voted for the bill.
“The HEROES Act is a critical $3 trillion-dollar rescue for our front line workers, cities and states, our small businesses, and it creates the kind of modern day safety net I have been fighting for with so many brave allies in and outside the U.S. Congress,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro during floor debate on the legislation.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California called the rescue package a “Democratic political messaging bill” that had “no chance of passing the Senate.” And the White House has threatened a veto of the bill as currently written.
The bill has been criticized heavily by Republicans and declared “dead on arrival” by President Donald Trump.
The bill made history as the largest relief package in U.S. history, which includes funding for state and local governments, coronavirus testing, and another distribution of payments to Americans. The rules for the $1,200 payment changed this time around. Single filers would still get $1,200 and $2,400 for joint filers, but filers would also be eligible for $1,200 per dependent, but filers can only claim three dependents for the money, according to Vox. It would also provide stimulus payments to immigrants, an idea that was opposed by the GOP and is not likely to become law.
Additionally the bill will include:$200 billion for a “Heroes fund” that would provide “hazard pay” to essential employees such as front-line health care workers, $75 billion to beef up testing, $10 billion for emergency grants to small businesses through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, COBRA subsidies to workers who have lost their health insurance because they’ve been laid off, extension of weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through January and $175 billion to help renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related cost.