WASHINGTON — Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, joined with other House Republicans in voting against a COVID-19 relief bill that includes $1,400 direct payments to most Americans, extended emergency unemployment benefits and billions of dollars for schools, state and local governments and small business that are still struggling to stay afloat.
The measure, called the “American Rescue Plan,” received final congressional approval on Wednesday after the House passed the bill in a 220-210 vote, sending it to President Joe Biden to be signed into law, according to federal records.
No House Republicans voted for the measure.
“Help is here,” Biden tweeted shortly after Wednesday’s vote.
Republicans have criticized the $1.9 trillion package as more expensive than necessary and they complain it inflates the national debt and sends money to projects not directly tied to the pandemic, The Associated Press reported.
Democrats have said the measure would help the country defeat the virus and nurse the economy back to health.
The measure follows five earlier virus bills totaling about $4 trillion that Congress has enacted since last spring.
The legislation provides a direct payment of $1,400 for a single taxpayer, or $2,800 for a married couple that files jointly, plus $1,400 per dependent, according to wire reports.
Individuals earning up to $75,000 would get the full amount, as would married couples with incomes up to $150,000. Biden said payments would start going out this month.
The bill also provides about $50 billion to expand testing for COVID-19 and to enhance contract tracing capabilities with new investments to expand laboratory capacity and set up mobile testing units, according to wire reports.
It also contains more than $15 billion to speed up the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines across the country. Another $1 billion would go to boost vaccine confidence. And $10 billion would be used to boost the supply of medical devices and equipment to combat the virus under the Defense Production Act.
The measures also extends $300 in expanded federal unemployment benefits through Sept. 6, which are on top of what beneficiaries are getting through state programs.
The bill also would send $350 billion to state and local governments and tribal governments for costs incurred up until the end of 2024 and $130 billion in additional help to schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade, according to The Associated Press.
The money for schools would be used to reduce class sizes and modify classrooms to enhance social distancing, install ventilation systems and purchase personal protective equipment. The money could also be used to hire more nurses, counselors and janitors, and to provide summer school.
A new program for restaurants and bars hurt by the pandemic would receive $28.6 billion, according to wire reports, according to wire reports. The grants provide up to $10 million per company with a limit of $5 million per physical location. The grants can be used to cover payroll, rent, utilities and other operational expenses.
The bill also provides $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, a tiny fraction of what was allocated in previous legislation. The bill also allows more nonprofits to apply for loans that are designed to help borrowers meet their payroll and operating costs and can potentially be forgiven.
This past July, a local company with ties to Pence’s family was approved for $79,441 in federal loans from the Paycheck Protection Program, according to the Small Business Administration.
The company, Pence Group LLC, owns the property on which the Exit 76 Antique Mall in Edinburgh sits, and Pence’s wife, Denise, is listed as the business’ manager and registered agent, according to state and county records.
Rep. Greg Pence has not been listed on the company’s business filings for several years, but the congressman reported that company as an asset in a recent financial disclosure filed with the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
