House passes $3 trillion coronavirus relief bill in close vote

The House on Friday passed a $3 trillion coronavirus relief package by a vote of 208-199. The Democrat-crafted HEROES Act will now head to the Republican majority Senate, where — along with the White House — it is expected to face opposition.

The bill contains, among other things, nearly $1 trillion in aid to state and local governments, extending unemployment benefits expansion until January 2021, and another round of $1,200 to individual Americans, including immigrants. The measure removes the previous coronavirus relief bill's requirement of a Social Security number to access the payments.

The bill, pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), wasn't looked upon favorably by all Democrats. Some centrists were concerned it had no chance of becoming law, while others in the progressive wing, like Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) felt the package failed "to match the scale" of the crisis. In the end, though, only 14 Democrats voted against the bill, allowing it to narrowly advance.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) was one of the lawmakers who had issues with the package, but ultimately voted yes. "I think there's actual room for expansion in the Senate negotiation, not just contraction," she said. "And honestly, some of the things that Republicans don't like I don't like either. So I think there's even more room there." Read more at NBC News and The Wall Street Journal.