Will Pelosi Really Pass A COVID-19 Relief Bill?

Speaker of The House Nancy Pelosi has been sabotaging relief bills left and right claiming they are not enough. But now it seems she is finally coming around and Americans will be getting the aid they need while under quarantine.

“America is facing a grave health crisis with a serious impact on our economy. I salute the strong leadership of Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats,” she said Wednesday. “I especially thank our House Democratic Committee Chairmen, who worked hard to move the Republican proposal from corporations-focused to workers-first and who will now review the legislative text of this agreement with our Caucus.”

Pelosi went on to say that the original Senate GOP legislation, which was blocked by Democrats twice in the Senate, “was a non-starter.”

“This bipartisan legislation takes us a long way down the road in meeting the needs of the American people,” Pelosi said.

The speaker went on to say that the new package “does not go as far” as the bill she and House Democrats proposed on Monday, but that “due to the unity and insistence of Senate and House Democrats, the bill has moved a great deal closer to America’s workers.”

It remains unclear whether Pelosi’s caucus will get on board with the bill, or whether any last-minute hurdles will emerge on the Senate side, as lawmakers say they want to send relief to Americans dealing with the economic fallout from the pandemic immediately. The House has adjourned and is not expected to meet again until late Thursday morning.

Democrats had claimed the earlier Senate bill did too much for large corporations and didn’t do enough for workers. Upon reaching an agreement with Republicans and the White House, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the bill amounts to “unemployment compensation on steroids,” and that every American who is laid off will have their missed salary remunerated.

Democrats said the package specifically would help replace the salaries of furloughed workers for four months, rather than the three months first proposed. Furloughed workers would get whatever amount a state usually provides for unemployment, plus a $600 per week add-on, with gig workers like Uber drivers covered for the first time.

The package also would give one-time payments of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child directly to the public.”

This relief package looks like it should help to keep Americans afloat during this pandemic. Hopefully, all of this quarantining helps put an end to this virus and we can get back to normal soon.