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American Rescue Act moves to Biden

The 1.9 trillion-dollar American Rescue Act passed the U.S. House along party lines, and was sent to President Biden for his signature Wednesday afternoon. 

House Ag Committee Chairman David Scott during debate said the bill is going to help the nation survive COVID-19, the hunger crisis, and help farmers left out of previous COVID support. “It is important for you to know that our black farmers were not included in the other pieces and so we got them four billion dollars just to help them.”

Mike Stranz from National Farmers Union says the bill includes four billion in funding to help recover from the shock to the food system and aid for stronger local food systems, and he says local meatpacking plants will get help. “This bill includes 100-million dollars to help additional overtime and more inspections to take place at small and medium-sized meat processing plants. That will help out a lot.”

Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack says the bill will get money into the hands of struggling Americans, get children back to school safely, get COVID-19 vaccinations out more swiftly, and get nutrition assistance to millions of food insecure Americans including a boost to SNAP benefits.

The bill criticized by Republicans for having too much spending not related to COVID-19 relief is also getting praise from the International Dairy Foods Association and the National Black Farmers Association.  President Biden says he plans to sign it as soon as he sees it.