Even if Sullivan was present to vote, a deadlock would have resulted in the President of the Senate breaking the tie (Kamala Harris).
The following is ZeroHedge:
The package includes $1,400 checks for Americans making under $80,000 per year and couples earning less than $160,000, and extends unemployment benefits. It now heads back to the House to incorporate Senate amendments into the final bill, after which it will go to President Biden’s desk for a signature before several programs are set to expire on March 14.
The marathon voting session on a series of amendments began Friday before noon, lasting over 24 hours. It followed a nearly 12-hour effort by Democrats to get Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) to support the party’s plan to extend unemployment benefits.
In the final Senate package, eligibility for stimulus checks has been narrowed, and lowered the amount of supplemental unemployment benefits. Also cut was an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 and hour after the Senate parliamentarian ruled that the wage hike was illegal under the rules of reconciliation – the procedure used by Democrats to push the bill through with a simple margin without requiring at least 60 votes.
Notable state aid includes:
California – which is expecting a $26bn general fund windfall for its upcoming budget session – is estimated to receive $26.3bn of funding, and its local governments $14.9bn.
New York State – for which the governor requested $15bn of additional aid – would receive $12.7bn, while its local governments would receive $10.6bn, including Suffolk County which floated a potential sale of notes to the Fed under the Municipal Liquidity Facility, which will receive $289mn.
Illinois – which sold two series of notes of the Fed totaling $3.2bn – will receive $7.5bn, or about 2.5x the projected fiscal 2022 budget deficit that the governor plans to close through cutting spending and closing corporate tax loopholes (yet, it also has an unpaid bill backlog of $5.2bn as of 17 February).
Puerto Rico, where General Fund revenues are up 11% versus adopted liquidity plans through 5 February – will receive $2.5bn directly, and its local governments $1.9bn.
Separately, local governments to highlight include:
$1.2bn for the City of Los Angeles and $2.0bn for Los Angeles County,
$601mn for the City and County of San Francisco
$5.6bn for New York City (the city and its counties).
More highlights (via Axios):
$128.6 billion to help K-12 schools reopen.
$350 billion in state and local aid.
$25 billion in aid to restaurants and other food and drinking establishments.
$19 billion in emergency rental assistance.
$7.25 billion in funds for Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Extending the enhanced unemployment insurance of $300 per week through Aug. 29.
Also included is expanded federal funding for COVID programs – which includes $46 billion for testing and tracing programs, $7.6 billion to use community health centers for pandemic response, $5.2 billion for vaccine research, development and manufacturing – as well as therapeutics and other medical products, and $7.7 billion to hire public health care workers.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.
Proverbs 22:7
Well the good-for-nothing government finally dropped the carrot on the starving bunnies begging to be fed with more debt. I can’t wait to see all of the other boondoggling nonsense that is hidden away in this bill, and if the bill ends up being more than what they are telling us it is. The media and politicians repeatedly say the CARES Act signed by Trump was $2.2 trillion, when he very clearly signed in $6.2 trillion. Where did the other $4 trillion in “pork” go? And will something similar occur with Biden’s stimulus?
All of this is just kicking the can down the road even further. All this means is more people will go out and waste their stimulus and added benefits on useless garbage, not pay off debts, while the prices of everything across the board continue to inflate.
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
Proverbs 13:11
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I am so confused as to what to do regarding work now, Jacob! I want to wait and see IF this mask foolishness will END already, but the Bible DOES say I am supposed to work (in so many words, not the exact verse here, I know!) However, the Lord doesn’t tell me to wear a face covering ANYWHERE, except for LEPROSY (which I am PRETTY sure I DO NOT have!) in Leviticus 13, and even THEN, it’s a covering over the upper lip ONLY and then also, do I run around yelling UNCLEAN at everyone?
All this foolishness makes me MAD, because if I “knuckle under” and “just wear the mask”, then I look like I am AFRAID of the Baloney Virus (and I am NOT; not ONE BIT!) Being born again has made me (nearly) lose my fear of death, but I’m sure you can relate here? The thing is, I WOULD LOVE to work, as I have a list of stuff I would like (newer vehicle, land, a manufactured home, a little utility shed and a car port), but I’d want to go the CHEAP route…NOT looking at 6 figure stick-built homes, for instance!
I guess what I am saying is this, Jacob. SHOULD I “knuckle under” and wear the mask? It sounds like MAYBE this craziness will be done by later this year (and I certainly hope so)? What do you think?
I understand how you feel. I will just be honest and say I do not have all the answers, however, I do not know all your talents and skills, but I think you should perhaps look into starting up your own company. I mentioned in January how the florist field saw all-time record sales. I am not necessarily saying to become a florist, but I highly suggest looking for and analyzing future trends and capitalize on it. There is nothing wrong with making your way in this world with talents and skills you have. When this artificial “Biden Bounce” occurs, I say ride the wave and sell/offer to whom may buy in; knowing that it will eventually crash, so must be expecting that and adjust accordingly. I am currently getting some research done to start up my own secular companies to make extra money and ride the spending high that will be coming. The way I see it, that is what you have to do to come out ok, because when this market crashes, I fear America will be done because we will see more money printing than the brain can fathom.
I do also think the masking lockdowns will dissipate sooner than expected, but that is just PERSONAL OPINION. I could be completely wrong so do not take my forecast as gospel truth.
Hope that helped a bit. I can link you my subscription to the Trends Journal if you want? I quote from them a lot as they have great info.
Definitely pray fervently on what to do.