The president, Joe Biden, again asked Congress this Friday for a "quick" action to approve his stimulus plan against the pandemic,
which includes aid checks of $ 1,400
for those who earn less than $ 50,000 a year, noting that "the people are suffering, "after the latest unemployment report in the country illustrated the slow recovery of the economy.
Biden defended his project in a speech from the White House as Congress prepares to pass a budget resolution that may allow Democrats to pass the $ 1.9 trillion package without Republican support.
"I see enormous suffering, many people are out of work, starving, trying to retain their jobs," said the president, while recalling that
the coronavirus has devastated the economy and the lives of families
, with a record of deaths in January.
Black and Latino communities have the highest death rates from COVID-19.
The Senate passed a budget resolution early Friday that would allow Democrats to
push through the plan without Republican support
.
The House of Representatives must now address the measure.
Its president, Democrat Nancy Pelosi, is working to get the plan approved before the end of the month.
The president, Joe Biden, proposes an economic aid package worth 1.9 million dollars.
AP
A group of Senate Republicans
proposed a reduced aid plan
this week of $ 618 billion, well below what Biden is seeking.
The president said he would like to have Republican support but congressmen "are not willing to go as far" as he is.
In this sense, he indicated that "
the greatest risk is not that [the package] is too big, but too small
."
The stimulus plan
would include checks of up to $ 1,400
for low-income families, Biden recalled, noting that it will seek to benefit those who need it most.
In addition, an extension to unemployment benefits, funds for nutrition programs, child care and safe opening of schools and 160,000 million dollars are granted to strengthen the response to the pandemic, improve the distribution of vaccines and increase tests, among others. measurements.
Biden also noted in his speech
the increase in the number of people seeking mental health services in the pandemic, in the
face of problems such as depression, and in cases of suicides, drug abuse and violence against women.
Against this background, the progress in Congress of the aid plan "gives great hope," he said.
Study: the pandemic has affected the mental health of one in two people in the world
Oct. 10, 202001: 57
Earlier in the morning, in a meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris and Senate Democrats in the White House, Biden said
it's about "people's lives, not just numbers
."
Moving down this fast track, the Democrats' goal is to pass the relief for the month of March, when additional unemployment benefits and other financial aid expire.
Biden cited the latest Labor Department report, the first to come under his administration.
The January numbers show a slight improvement: the unemployment rate was 6.3% and 49,000 jobs were created.
However, the gain is small compared to the 227,000 positions that were lost in December.
[Employment improves for Latinos in January: these are the sectors that are growing the most and those that are still in crisis due to the pandemic]
Increasing cases of children affected by an inflammatory syndrome after falling ill with COVID-19
Feb. 4, 202101: 55
Republicans have strongly opposed what they have characterized as too costly and partisan a rush to pass more financial aid.
"The simple truth if we make this investment now, we generate more growth, a stronger economy, and our nation will also be in a stronger position," Biden said in response.
The president also recalled that experts have warned that without an important stimulus to the economy, the recovery of employment may take until the year 2025. "
We focus less on the deficit and more on the investment we are making,
" said the president.
With information from The Associated Press, The Washington Post and The New York Times.