U.S. House passes revised relief bill
A recent autumn view from High Pastures Road in Pomfret, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)
A $2.2 trillion relief package passed the U.S. House of Representatives late Thursday, in the latest bid by lawmakers to help Americans and the economy amid the pandemic. But the proposal faces headwinds in the Senate.
The new bill is an updated version of the Heroes Act, which the House passed earlier this year. Throughout the summer, the White House and Democratic leaders repeatedly came up short in their efforts to negotiate the first relief deal since the CARES Act.
U.S. Rep Peter Welch, of Vermont, voted for the new relief plan, saying now was a time for bold action. Welch championed two initiatives included in the bill: a $120 billion grant program for restaurants, and a $10 billion fund for independent theaters and live music venues.
“The economic pain of the coronavirus pandemic is still being felt across our state," Welch said in a statement. "Vermont businesses needed help in May, and they need it even more today. "
The House's new $2.2 trillion bill includes these key provisions, among others:
A second round of $1,200 economic impact payments to individuals.
Funding to restore the $600 weekly federal unemployment payments through January.
$12 billion to make sure that students have broadband so that they can learn at home.
More than $800 million for Vermont state and local governments.
$225 billion for K-12 schools and colleges to open and operate safely during the pandemic.
The bill also funds additional COVID-19 testing, the Postal Service, and efforts to combat food insecurity.
Though the House bill is a note of progress, it is unlikely to make it through the Senate, where the Republican majority remains concerned over the total amount of the aid, according to CNBC. This was also a contention over the summer, as the White House preferred a bill in the $1 trillion range; the original Heroes Act came in at over $3 trillion.
Before the latest bill passed the House, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke by phone on Thursday, and, though there was no new deal between them, they agreed to continue negotiations, CNBC reported. The need for significant aid to state and local governments continues to be a key point of disagreement. At this point, the House has departed for its October recess, as a CBS report noted.
For months, lawmakers of all political persuasions have pressed for more relief from Congress, as economic pressure deepens for individuals and businesses amid the pandemic, and prior aid from the CARES Act runs thinner. On the road ahead, listening will be key. Hopefully the great needs of this hour can inspire more of that approach, as the work to move this legislation forward continues.
— Gareth Henderson
