After five months of checkered negotiations, the elected Democrats and Republicans of the US Congress adopted, Monday, December 21, a plan to support the economy in the amount of 908 billion dollars (742 billion euros). It is the second largest ever adopted by Congress after the $ 2.2 trillion plan rushed through in March. But many experts fear that it will not be ambitious enough to sufficiently revive an economy damaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The law adopted on Monday occupies a document of 5,593 pages. The House of Representatives approved it by 359 votes to 53, the Senate by 91 to 7. The text should be promulgated by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, before the expiration, on December 26, of a party. provisions contained in the plan voted in March. Congress worked under the threat of shutdown, the closure of federal services for lack of budget: to force a compromise, elected officials had attached the aid plan to the “omnibus” budget law which must ensure the functioning of the federal state for the remainder of fiscal year 2021 (for an amount of $ 1.4 trillion, including $ 740 billion for defense).
According to the adopted text, Americans who receive less than 75,000 dollars (61,000 euros) in annual income will receive a check for 600 dollars (490 euros). The amount will decrease between $ 75,000 and $ 99,000 in income (nothing beyond). Families will also receive $ 600 per dependent child. Unemployment benefits will be renewed for eleven weeks. A supplement of 300 dollars per week (245 euros) – against 600 dollars in the spring – will be allocated to beneficiaries in addition to the allowance paid by the States.
The package also provides 69 billion for the distribution of anti-Covid-19 vaccines, 22 billion for testing and contact tracing programs, 25 billion in housing assistance to prevent evictions – the ban of which has been extended until as of January 31 – 13 billion in food aid, 82 billion to help schools and universities reopen, 15 billion for cinemas and cultural institutions paralyzed by restrictions and even 7 billion for broadband access. Finally, it grants 284 billion for businesses and relaunches the “Paycheck Protection Program”, which helps businesses or restaurants to retain their employees and would have saved some 2 million jobs. Forty-five billion will go to public transport; 15 billion to airlines, on condition that they rehire the redundant; 2 billion at airports.
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