What Did You Say?

In a video statement on Thursday, President-elect Joe Biden announced a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan to address the economic crisis and ongoing pandemic.

“We have no time to waste when it comes to getting this virus under control and building our economy back better,” said Biden. The plan will likely add trillions of dollars to the already ballooning debt since the economic crisis, caused by government mandated shutdowns in response to the virus, began.

The American Rescue Plan will include $1,400 stimulus payment checks that will be added on top of the $600 checks that were issued under the last stimulus. Biden said the $600 provided per person so far is “not enough.” The proposal would also provide $440 billion to struggling communities, small businesses, educators, public transport workers, and first responders. Biden also called for an increase the minimum wage across the country to $15 an hour.

• The proposal will extend moratoriums on foreclosures and evictions until Sept. 30, and include $25 billion in funding for rental assistance and $5 billion for utility assistance.

• Biden wants to increase the supplemental unemployment insurance from $300 a week to $400 a week and extend payments to September.

• $415 billion will be spent on health care, including $20 billion to support a national vaccine program, $50 billion to expand testing, investments for workers to conduct vaccine outreach and contact tracing.

• Biden called the vaccine rollout across the country a “failure” and aimed to administer 100 million vaccines by the 100th day of his administration. He called for $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local, and territorial governments to help pay front line public workers, distribute the vaccine, COVID-19 testing and other services.

• Biden wants to direct $130 billion toward the reopening schools across the country by the 100th day of his administration, but also wants to invest in remote learning.

• The package will also include funds for extending the 15 percent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit increase to September, investing $3 billion in the in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and $1 billion in additional nutrition assistance for US territories.

More than 2 million Americans have contracted COVID-19 and more than 385,000 deaths have been attributed to the virus across the country.