Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) On Wednesday halted final passage of President Biden’s $ 1.9 trillion COVID-19 stimulus bill from $ 1.9 trillion by forcing a nearly an hour vote on a House motion of Deputies.
The House was expected to pass the American Rescue Plan Act around noon, but Greene’s motion forced the protracted vote due to pandemic restrictions that few lawmakers have to vote for at any given time.
The adjournment motion was rejected 149-235, with 41 Republicans voting against.
Greene said that “spending $ 1.9 trillion is reckless, irresponsible, and the wrong thing to do.”
“We still have $ 1 trillion set aside for COVID spending. There is no need to enslave the American people, our children, our grandchildren, our great-great-grandchildren and generations who continue to be indebted, ”she said.
“We have $ 28 trillion in debt. This Congress is raging through incredible things at a rapid pace. This must be stopped. We have to think about what we are doing. This is a waste of money and a complete waste of time. Reopening America is a much better way to go. “
Greene is a controversial freshman lawmaker. Last month, Democrats and 11 Republicans voted to remove her from house committees for her adherence to a range of conspiracy theories. Greene recanted those beliefs, in part by doubting that a plane had hit the Pentagon on 9/11 and suggesting that mass shootings had been committed by gun control activists.
Democrats said they were outraged that Greene was setting up the process to pass Biden’s first major legislative feat as president – which, if passed before noon, would mark his passage during Biden’s first 50 days in office.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, told reporters, “I honestly think it is unreasonable for them to do anything to try again to delay aid to the people, including their constituents in desperate need. “
Republicans largely say the bill, passed by the Senate on Saturday, is ill-targeted and that much of the money will not be spent until after the pandemic ends. For example, it offers more than $ 120 billion for elementary schools, but the Congressional Budget Office estimates that more than 90 percent will not be spent by 2021 because the funds approved for schools last year were not spent.
The bill awards $ 1,400 incentive vouchers to adults earning up to $ 75,000 per year, with smaller amounts for earners between $ 75,000 and $ 80,000. An additional $ 1,400 check is awarded for each dependent child, but unlike previous incentive checks, adult income limits also apply to checks for their children.
Parents will also get a new annual tax credit of $ 3,000 to $ 3,600 per child in the bill, up from $ 2,000 per child currently.
It extends weekly unemployment insurance of $ 300 until September 6.
The package includes $ 350 billion in state and local aid and $ 75 billion in vaccination, testing, and other pandemic medical supplies for COVID-19. The New York City government is expected to receive approximately $ 6 billion; the New York State government will collect more than $ 12.5 billion.
The bill also provides for 15 weeks of paid time off for federal employees, including US Postal Service employees, for COVID-19-related reasons, including caring for children who are not in school or childcare, and creates a new $ 25 billion grant program. especially for bars and restaurants that will compensate for lost income.