The incoming Biden Administration has proposed its first priority for the Democratic-controlled Congress, a 1.9 trillion dollar COVID relief and economic stimulus plan.
A 350-billion dollar chunk of that would assist local and state governments who have seen their budgets battered by COVID. Republican Congressman, and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise.
“Well, I think some of their ideas are more designed in just putting hundreds of billions of dollars of printed money out into places like states that were failing prior to COVID,” said Scalise.
The proposal also includes upping federally boost unemployment payments from 300 dollars a week to 400 dollars a week and extending them, along with the eviction moratorium, through the end of September.
The plan also includes big expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, and a 1,400 dollar stimulus check. Scalise calls the big-spending so soon after December’s COVID bill unnecessary.
“We just passed a trillion-dollar relief package a few weeks ago, with the idea of needing to spend trillions of dollars, when there is still money that’s bleeding to be spent that hasn’t been spent isn’t the right approach,” said Scalise.
Also included is a call for an increase in the minimum wage to 15 dollars an hour, and an end to the tipped minimum wage. Scalise says that would end up sending a lot of jobs to China.
“That would kill manufacturing jobs in America, it would kill a lot of entry-level jobs for young people who are trying to get their foot in the workforce,” said Scalise.
Democrats hold a slim majority in both the House and Senate and could pass the proposal along party lines.
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