ALSO SEE: House Set to Pass $1.9 Trillion Covid Relief Bill

The $1.9 Trillion Covid-19 Relief Bill Is Here

By Ivana Kottasová, CNN

10 March 21

 

S President Joe Biden's $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill is expected to pass Congress this morning, dramatically reshaping the country's economy and giving a big push to its fight against the pandemic.

The bill includes stimulus checks of up to $1,400 for many Americans, and billions of dollars for states and municipalities, schools and small businesses.

There's also $14 billion to research, develop, distribute, administer and strengthen confidence in vaccines. This financial boost comes at a crucial time.

Nearly one in 10 Americans -- more than 32 million people -- are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows. The rollout has been progressing well, but the growing number of vaccinations is still not high enough to suppress the spread of coronavirus; a CNN analysis shows the US could reach herd immunity by the summer.

That's why Americans must not abandon safety measures -- especially now dangerous variants are circulating and threatening to fuel another spike within weeks.

"Where the pandemic goes from here is really dependent on our collective behaviors and continued commitment to follow the public health measures we know work to stop the spread of the virus: wearing well-fitted masks, avoiding traveling in crowds, social distancing and washing hands," Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during the Health Action Alliance National Business Summit yesterday.

The bill reflects the need to continue with the measures, putting $47.8 billion toward testing, contact tracing and mitigation, including investing in laboratory capacity, community-based testing sites and mobile testing units, particularly in medically underserved areas.

YOU ASKED. WE ANSWERED.

Q: How much will my stimulus check be?

A: The payments included in the Covid relief package are worth up to $1,400 per person, including dependents. This means a couple with two children could receive up to $5,600. Families will now receive the additional money for adult dependents over the age of 17.

Roughly 90% of American households will be eligible, according to an estimate from the Penn Wharton Budget Model.

Individuals who earn at least $80,000 a year of adjusted gross income, heads of households who earn at least $120,000 and married couples who earn at least $160,000 will be completely cut off from the third round of stimulus payments -- regardless of how many children they have.

Use our calculator here to see what you can expect to get.