US House gives another dose of $1.9tr aid to virus-hit Americans
Relief bill, which now moves to Senate, would provide $1,400 payments to individuals, extend unemployment benefits through August and increase tax credits for kids and federal subsidies for health insurance
The House approved a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief bill that was championed by President Joe Biden, the first step in providing another dose of aid to a weary nation as the measure now moves to a tense Senate.
The new president’s vision for infusing cash across a struggling economy to individuals, businesses, schools, states and cities batered by COVID-19 passed on a near party-line 219-212 vote early on Saturday. That ships the bill to the Senate, where Democrats seem bent on resuscitating their minimum wage push and fights could erupt over state aid and other issues.
Democrats said that mass unemployment and the half-million American lives lost are causes for quick, decisive action. GOP lawmakers, they said, were out of step with a public that polling finds largely views the bill favourably.
“I am a happy camper tonight,” Rep. Maxine Waters, D-calif., said on Friday. “This is what America needs. Republicans, you ought to be a part of this. But if you’re not, we’re going without you.”
Republicans said the bill was too expensive and said too few education dollars would be spent quickly to immediately reopen schools. They said it was laden with gits to Democratic constituencies like labour unions and funneled money to Democratic-run states they suggested didn’t need it because their budgets had bounced back.
“To my colleagues who say this bill is bold, I say it’s bloated,” said House Minority Leader Kevin Mccarthy, R-calif. “To those who say it’s urgent, I say it’s unfocused. To those who say it’s popular, I say it is entirely partisan.”
The overall relief bill would provide $1,400 payments to individuals, extend emergency unemployment benefits through August and increase tax credits for children and federal subsidies for health insurance.
It also provides billions for schools and colleges, state and local governments, COVID-19 vaccines and testing, renters, food producers and struggling industries like airlines, restaurants, bars and concert venues.
AUSTRALIA: Life across Australia inched towards pre-pandemic normal on Saturday, with New South Wales and South Australia states allowing some dancing and Victoria permiting larger crowds at sporting events. The three states, home to nearly two-thirds of Australia’s 25 million people, recorded no community transmissions on Saturday of the new coronavirus. For New South Wales, the most populous state, it was 41st straight day without a local case.
The state, in addition to allowing up to 30 people to dance at weddings, eased further restrictions on the number of visitors at home. South Australia state allowed some club dancing from Friday.
NEW ZEALAND: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered New Zealand’s largest city back into lockdown on Saturday as COVID-19 cases continued to be detected in the community.
The latest restrictions in Auckland will last at least seven days and come less than two weeks ater a three-day shutdown in the city.
Ardern said a new coronavirus case confirmed on Saturday could not be directly connected to other positive tests over the last two weeks, although a school in South Auckland was a common link.
From Sunday morning the city’s 1.7 million residents must stay at home except for essential shopping and work.
Schools and non-essential shops will close, and entry in and out of the city will be restricted.
ITALY: Italy’s government ramped up restrictions in five of the country’s 20 regions in an effort to head off a rise in COVID-19 cases as scientists warned of a growing prevalence of highly contagious new variants.
Italy has established a four-tier colour-coded system (white, yellow, orange and red), which allows for measures to be calibrated according to infection levels, with assessments revised every week.
For the first time since the end of January, two regions — Basilicata and Molise — were shunted into the strictest red zone. This means bars and restaurants must be shutered, movement severely restricted and all but essential shops closed.
Three regions moved from yellow to orange zones: Lombardy and Piedmont, which are centred on the wealthy northern cities of Milan and Turin respectively, and the central coastal region of Marche.