The House and Senate have passed budget resolutions that are the first step in advancing COVID-19 relief under the reconciliation process that requires only a simple majority vote for passage. The budget resolutions include reconciliation instructions for committees to draft legislation to implement President Joe Biden’s proposed $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief plan for individuals, businesses, and communities that would build on the $900 billion COVID relief package enacted in December.
President Biden has proposed a two-part COVID recovery plan consisting of the $1.9 trillion emergency COVID relief package (the American Rescue Plan) and an economic recovery plan (the Build Back Better Recovery Plan) that he is expected to outline this month. Congress later this year could use another budget reconciliation bill to act on the second part of President Biden’s economic recovery plan.
