Congress passes Biden's Covid-19 stimulus bill

Biden is set to sign the bill into law on Friday afternoon.

"A vaccinated American is the only way to beat the pandemic, get the economy back on track, and for us to get back our lives and our loved ones. That's why the American Rescue Plan was so critical," Biden said.

Biden thanked House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other lawmakers for passing the bill.

"This bill represents a historic, historic victory for the American people. I look forward to signing it later this week," he said. "Everything in the American Rescue Plan addresses a real need – including investments to fund our entire vaccination effort. More vaccines, more vaccinators and more vaccination sites."

In remarks, Pelosi thanked President Biden and several other lawmakers in both the House and Senate.

"President Biden's vision and his determination were so apparent to the American people and the reason why this legislation enjoys this support of 75% of the American people in a strong bipartisan way across the country," Pelosi said. "We thank him for his leadership and also for his contribution to the substance of the legislation as well as his signature when that comes."

President Biden plans to sign the bill into law on Friday afternoon at the White House.

"Who knows what the future may bring, but nonetheless on this day we celebrate because we are honoring a promise made by our President and as we join with him in promising that help is on the way," Pelosi said.

Schumer also thanked Democrats in both chambers for working together to pass the legislation.

"What do we say to America? Help is on the way. Help is on the way. You'll receive $1,400 checks by the end of March," he said.

The Senate leader called the bill "one of the most consequential pieces of legislation we have passed in decades."

"So this is a wonderful day for America," Schumer said.  "This is one of the most consequential pieces of legislation we have passed in decades, and you know what we can show America, that we can get things done to make their lives better, and we will continue to do that through the rest of this session. Help is on the way."

Airlines are applauding the house passage of the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill, which is expected to save 27,000 airline workers from furloughs that were slated to start in just weeks.

In January, United Airlines sent warnings of possible April 1 furloughs to 14,000 employees. A week later, American Airlines told 13,000 employees that they would be furloughed without more federal help. The bill provides a second extension of the Payroll Support Program, which airlines and unions call critical to keeping workers on the job.

“For our 13,000 colleagues who received Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) notices last month, those are happily canceled – you can tear them up,” American’s Chairman and CEO Doug Parker and President Robert Isom said in a Wednesday letter to employees.

President Biden is expected to sign the bill into law Friday, according to the White House.

American Airlines says once that happens, its workers will receive pay and benefits through Sept. 30, 2021. 

“Congress has saved thousands of airline jobs, preserved the livelihoods of our hard-working team members and helped position the industry to play a central role in the nation’s recovery from COVID-19,” an American Airlines statement said.

In a statement, Sara Nelson of the Association of Flight Attendants said the bill will keep aviation workers receiving paychecks and healthcare through September “so we’re in place to meet demand as vaccinations are readily available and travel returns to the skies.”

Just moments after the House passed the $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill on Wednesday, White House Covid-19 senior adviser Andy Slavitt said that the legislation will help the nation through the next stages of the pandemic.

"When this gets to the President's desk and it is signed, it is really going to be monumental in terms of allowing Americans to breathe a big sigh of relief," Slavitt told MSNBC's Katy Tur on Wednesday. 

President Joe Biden plans to sign the bill into law on Friday afternoon at the White House.

"Not that Covid-19 is over, but we will now have the resources to support Americans through the next stages," Slavitt said.

When asked whether he suspects the United States will need another relief bill before the end of the pandemic, Slavitt said he couldn't "predict the future" and the pandemic has had "plenty of surprises."

• Stimulus checks: The bill provides direct payments worth up to $1,400 per person. Families get an additional $1,400 per child. There are restrictions based on how much you make. You can use this stimulus calculator to find out how much money you can expect to get.
• Unemployment assistance: The bill calls for a $300 federal boost to weekly jobless payments and extending two key pandemic unemployment benefits programs through September 6.
• State and local aid: The legislation provides $350 billion to states, local governments, territories and tribes.
• Nutrition assistance: The package extends the 15% increase in food stamp benefits through September. It also contains $880 million for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC. It will allow states to continue the Pandemic-EBT.
• Housing aid: The bill sends roughly $20 billion to state and local governments to help low-income households cover back rent, rent assistance and utility bills. It authorizes about $10 billion to help struggling homeowners pay their mortgages, utilities and property taxes.
• Tax credits: The bill expands the child tax credit to $3,600 for each child under 6 and $3,000 for each child under age 18. Currently, families can receive a credit of up to $2,000 per child under age 17.
• Paid sick and family leave: While the bill does not make this mandatory, it will continue to provide tax credits to employers who voluntarily choose to offer the benefit through October 1.
• Education and child care: The bill provides $125 billion to public K-12 schools to help students return to the classroom, including for things like ventilation, personal protective equipment for teachers and support staff.
• Health insurance subsidies: The package will make federal premium subsidies for Affordable Care Act policies more generous and would eliminate the maximum income cap for two years.
• Small businesses: The bill provides $15 billion to the Emergency Injury Disaster Loan program and another $7 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program. It also provides $25 billion for a new grant program specifically for bars and restaurants.
• Vaccines: $14 billion will go towards researching, developing, distributing, administering and strengthening confidence in vaccines. It will also put $47.8 billion toward things like testing and contact tracing.
• Rural hospitals: The bill allocates $8.5 billion to help struggling rural hospitals and health care providers.

“This legislation is about giving the backbone of this nation – the essential workers, the working people who built this country, the people who keep this country going – a fighting chance,” Biden said in a statement.

“On Friday, I look forward to signing the American Rescue Plan into law at the White House – a people’s law at the people’s house," Biden said.

The President thanked "all the members who voted for it, especially Speaker Pelosi, the finest and most capable speaker in the history of our nation."

Psaki said during Tuesday's White House press briefing that Biden didn't think the inclusion of his signature on the payments "was a priority or a necessary step. His focus was on getting them out as quickly as possible."

So a couple with two children could receive up to $5,600. Unlike prior rounds, families will now receive the additional money for adult dependents over the age of 17.

The income thresholds will be based on a taxpayer's most recent return. If they've already filed a 2020 return by the time the payment is sent, the IRS will base eligibility on their 2020 adjusted gross income. If not, it will be based on the 2019 return or the information submitted through an online portal set up last year for people who don't usually file tax returns.

House Democrats passed the legislation on a party line vote of 220-211. No Republicans voted in favor. One Democrat voted against the bill: Rep. Jared Golden of Maine.

White te House press secretary Jen Psaki said today that Biden will sign the bill on Friday afternoon at the White House.

Passage of the bill marks the first major legislative achievement of the new administration and a Congress that is now under full Democratic control, with narrow majorities in the House and Senate.

• Up to $1,400-per-person stimulus payments that will send money to about 90% of households (Use our calculator to see if you'll qualify for a stimulus check.)
• A $300 federal boost to weekly jobless benefits
• An expansion of the child tax credit of up to $3,600 per child
• $350 billion in state and local aid, as well as billions of dollars for K-12 schools to help students return to the classroom, to assist small businesses hard-hit by the pandemic and for vaccine research, development and distribution.
• Extends a 15% increase in food stamp benefits through September
• Helps low-income households cover rent

After Biden signs the bill, the turnaround time — between it being a more than 600-page bill and money in people's pockets — could be relatively quick.

The payments do not all go out at once. Those whose bank information is on file with the IRS would likely get the money first, because it would be directly deposited into their accounts. Others may receive paper checks or prepaid debit cards in the ma

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden plans to appoint someone to lead the implementation of his coronavirus relief legislation, similar to the role he played in 2009. 

“We are also looking ahead to implementation,” Psaki said during Wednesday’s news briefing, telling reporters about Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen’s recent speech on aid to state and local governments. “They are looking for ways to maximize, of course, the impact of every dollar.”

As the House takes a final vote on the package right now, Psaki said the President knows that the passage and signing of the bill is just the beginning.

“That’s exactly what the President did when he served as the point person on the implementation of the (American) Recovery (and Reinvestment) Act in 2009, partnering with mayors, governors and other officials to get help to them quickly and a way to get waste, fraud and abuse to two tenths of 1%,” she said.

“I don’t have any personnel announcements today but that will certainly be part of our path moving forward,” Psaki added.