In an effort to deliver relief to struggling families and ramp up the COVID-19 vaccine distribution, house democrats passed a $1.9 trillion relief plan.
In intends to get the thousands of Americans struggling to make it by some much needed relief.
“My business, before the pandemic, was good. Now its down, all the way down,” said Rolando Mendes, small business owner.
Mendez runs a taco truck and a catering service in Chula Vista. But since the pandemic, the catering part of his business has nearly died. He says he’s had to slowly sell his catering supplies to help his other business survive which is also barely making it.
The new bill would create a new program for business owners like Mendez who own a restaurant or bar. The program would provide up to $10 million grants per shop.
“Our pay went down,” said Rosie Solis, Chula Vista resident. “I’m taking care of a bedridden father, an aunt who fell on her back, my son, my husband. It’s hard.”
For people like Solis, who are making less than 75,000 a year, would get a one-time payment of $1400. Couples earning less than $150,000 a year would get a one-time payment of $2,800. Families with children would be eligible to get an additional $1400 for each dependent.
And, unlike in the past, adult dependents including college students would be eligible for one-time payments.
Those who have lost their job will receive an additional $400 a week in federal unemployment money.
Also included in the new stimulus, money for struggling tenants, homeowners, and people at risk of becoming homeless.
And as federal officials sound the alarm of a slight increase in COVID-19 cases, the new bill allocates $20 billion to create a national COVID-19 vaccination program and $46 billion to expand COVID-19 testing.
The bill also looks to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour, increase the amount of child tax credit from $2,000 to $3,000 and provide funding for schools.
The bill will now go off to the senate for final approval.