Democrats in Congress are moving forward with a massive COVID stimulus package—with or without Republicans.
"The Senate passed a budget resolution early Friday after a marathon of votes on dozens of amendments," according to an article by Jacob Pramuk. The vote is a first step toward Democrats in both houses of Congress passing a $1.9 trillion stimulus package without any votes from Republicans in Congress.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi followed up the news on Friday by predicting that the House will pass a coronavirus relief bill within two weeks, according to Pramuk.
Included in the bill, according to Pramuk, is a $30 billion rent and utility assistance fund. That total would meet the target set by an Urban Institute report that recommends actions to avert an eviction crisis as the economic effects of the pandemic enter into a second year and beyond.
Pramuk does not mention money for transportation, however, but Reuters reporter David Shepardson and Politico reporter Sam Mintz have been tweeting out updates as more information comes in about the details of the stimulus package as currently proposed.
The stimulus package currently includes $30 billion for transit agencies—up from $20 billion previously proposed by President Jose Biden.
As noted in analysis by Yonah Freemark, also posted to Twitter, "transit agencies will get 132% of their 2018 costs (when combined with CARES/COVID allocations)."
Planetizen will continue to share analysis and breaking news on the stimulus package as it continues through Congress.
FULL STORY: House aims to pass Covid relief bill within two weeks as budget reconciliation moves forward, Pelosi says
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