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US Senate sets course for Corona aid package | Currently America | DW

The US Senate voted for a budget resolution in which the planned corona aid amounting to 1.9 trillion dollars is stipulated. This is a preliminary stage for a later legal text. In the vote after a marathon meeting, Vice President Kamala Harris, in her role as Senate Chair, tipped the balance: The text was passed by a majority of 51 to 50 votes. The 50 Senators from Biden’s Democrats voted unanimously for the resolution, while the 50 Republican Senators voted against. In such a stalemate, Vice President Harris has one vote.

The Senate text now has to be merged with a resolution by the House of Representatives. Then the actual text of the law on Corona aid can be decided, which, however, should take weeks. House Chairwoman Nancy Pelosi expects final approval from Congress before March 15.

The Democratic Chairperson of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi

Democrats and Republicans are arguing violently over the new stimulus and aid package, the size of which corresponds to nearly ten percent of the economic output of the United States. Biden’s proposal includes $ 160 billion for corona vaccinations, tests and health workers, $ 130 billion for the safe reopening of schools, and $ 350 billion in aid to cities and states. Millions of citizens will also receive checks for $ 1,400.

Republicans slow down

The opposition Republicans consider the aid to be excessive and insufficiently targeted. Republican Senator John Cornyn accused the Democrats of “throwing money out the window”. Ten Republican senators have proposed a counter-proposal worth $ 618 billion. They offer a one-off payment of $ 1,000 per person, albeit for a smaller group of people.

After the vote in the Senate, US President Joe Biden urged his aid package: In view of the extent of the crisis, he must “act quickly”. The head of state added in the White House: “I see tremendous pain in the country, many people are unemployed, many people are hungry.” He could not agree with his “conscience” to downsize the aid package because that would lengthen the duration of the crisis.

Biden is willing to cooperate

Biden protested that he wanted to work with the Republicans on the Corona package. “But when I have to choose between immediate aid for Americans who are doing so badly, and stalled, drawn-out negotiations or cuts to a law that is appropriate to the crisis, it’s an easy decision.” The president said he was sticking to the $ 1,400 aid check. However, he was ready to narrow down the circle of recipients.

The Democrats have the majority in both chambers of Congress. In the Senate, however, 60 votes are normally required for legislation to move forward. The budget resolution that has now been adopted makes it possible to adopt the corona aid with a simple majority. This special parliamentary path is known as “budget reconciliation” (freely translated: budget harmonization).

Enormous need for action

The United States is the country with the highest number of confirmed corona infections and deaths worldwide. More than 26 million infections and more than 455,000 deaths have been recorded since the pandemic began. The pandemic plunged the United States into a severe economic crisis and millions of people lost their jobs. The unemployment rate fell in January compared to the previous month by 0.4 points to 6.3 percent. However, only 49,000 jobs were created within a month.

Congress only passed an aid package worth around $ 900 billion at the end of December, which is why many Republicans currently see little need for action. After the worsening of the pandemic in the United States, Congress also passed economic stimulus packages worth almost three trillion dollars last spring.

kle / wa (afp, rtr, dpa)

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