US : Joe Biden sings $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill

Washington : US President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law the $1.9 trillion relief package. President Joe Biden said that it will help the US defeat the coronavirus and nurse the economy back to health.

Biden signed these bills hours before delivering his first prime-time address since taking office.  As he marks one year since the onset of the pandemic that has killed more than 530,000 Americans, he’s aiming to steer the nation toward a hungered-for sentiment – hope.

As president Joe Biden signed the bill in the Oval Office, he said, “This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country.”

In this, the most noticeable thing to many Americans are provisions providing up to $1,400 in direct payments. Few of it could begin landing in bank accounts this weekend, and extending $300 weekly emergency unemployment benefits into early September. Also, expanded tax credits over the next year for children, child care and family leave are also included. Some of them credits that Democrats have signalled they’d like to make permanent — plus spending for renters, feeding programs and people’s utility bills.

Seven weeks after Biden entered the White House and four days after the Senate passed the bill – the House gave final congressional approval to the sweeping package by a near party line 220-211 vote on Wednesday. Republicans in both chambers opposed the legislation unanimously. They also characterised it as bloated, crammed with liberal policies and heedless of signs the crises are easing.

Biden originally planned to sign the bill on Friday, but it arrived at the White House more quickly than anticipated.