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Democrats clear path for approval of Biden's US$1.9 trillion COVID-19 package

February 6, 2021 3:09 pm

US President Joe Biden [Source: Yahoo News]

US president Joe Biden and his Democratic allies in Congress forged ahead with their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package.

This as lawmakers approved a budget outline that will allow them to muscle Biden’s plan through in the coming weeks without Republican support.

Biden and top Democrats say they want to enact the massive aid package as quickly as possible to beat back a pandemic that has killed more than 450,000 Americans and left millions of jobless.

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Biden says he is open to compromise with Republicans as long as they did not slow things down.

“Now I am going to act, I am going to act fast. I’d like to be doing it with the support of the Republicans. I’ve met with Republicans, they are really some fine people who want to get something done, but they are not willing to go – I think as far as we want to go.”

Biden says continued weakness in the job market, underscored by data released on Friday, proves the need for aggressive action.

Republicans have floated a $600 billion aid package, less than a third the size of the Democratic plan.