President-elect Joe Biden presented a $ 1.9 billion economic project on Thursday that includes everything from new stimulus checks to a national vaccination plan against COVID-19.
The American Rescue Plan seeks to "
change the course of the pandemic
, build a bridge to economic recovery, and invest in racial justice."
The legislative package includes specific resources to
support the Hispanic population
, among whom the majority of deaths related to COVID-19 have occurred.
To this end, among other actions, free vaccination of people regardless of their immigration status will be guaranteed, and schools whose closure has disproportionately affected Hispanic and black students will be reopened.
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Combat the COVID-19 pandemic
The priority of the Biden administration will be to push forward a national vaccination plan, contain the spread of the virus and ensure the safe reopening of schools.
The legislative package contemplates 160,000 million dollars for:
Install community vaccination sites and mobile vaccination units to reach the most remote sites in the country.
Vaccinate the entire population
free of charge regardless of their immigration status
.
Increase the application of tests to be able to reopen schools and reduce the vulnerability of spaces such as prisons.
An officer with the New York Police Department received the Moderna vaccine on December 11 in Queens.
Jeenah Moon / Reuters
Expand the teams that work in care centers for the elderly, where the majority of
caregivers who die are Hispanic
and Black.
Provide
paid sick leave
to 106 million workers to reduce the spread of the virus.
Reopen most K-8 schools in the first 100 days of government.
Issue a COVID-19 protection protocol so that a wide range of workers receive protection against unsafe working conditions and possible retaliation.
Support for workers affected by the crisis
This plan will provide an economic stimulus check of $ 1,400 to families residing in the United States.
Together with the $ 600 distributed in December, the aid would add up to $ 2,000, according to the plan.
Other supports for workers who have been affected by the crisis caused by the pandemic include:
Extend
unemployment benefits
until September 2021
and provide supplemental unemployment insurance of $ 400 a week.
Extend economic support to workers who do not qualify for unemployment benefits, such as those who are self-employed or work in the delivery of packages.
The second round of the economic stimulus check for the coronavirus pandemic has begun to reach the bank accounts of Americans.
Expand the
stay of evictions
and continue leniency requests in
Federally guaranteed mortgages through September 30, 2021.
Provide $ 30 billion to help families who lost their jobs pay rent, and fund those at risk of homelessness.
Increase in the minimum wage to $ 15 an hour.
Call on companies to back
pay
essential workers
, mostly Hispanics and blacks, who risked their lives during 2020.
Support for companies and communities
Financial support to one million
small businesses
that have been the most affected by the crisis, especially those belonging to black, Hispanic, indigenous and / or Asian people.
Protecting the jobs of first responders and other essential workers.
