It is a big bill, but necessary

Congratulations Congress. You’ve done it. And just in the nick of time. The U.S. Senate passed President Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus aid package over the weekend. It will go back to the House for reconciliation early this week, and is expected to be signed into law within days. Checks totaling $1400 per person could go out by the weekend. But more importantly, the massive legislation provides much-needed help for those Americans struggling the most. There is money for schools, businesses and local governments, all of which have been hit hard by the pandemic. The bill extends federal unemployment benefits, just as they are set to expire, through September. It also provides a 100% subsidy of COBRA health insurance premiums so that laid-off workers can maintain health insurance coverage. There is money for schools to reduce class sizes and to modify classrooms to ensure social distancing. The bill contains funding for bars and restaurants in need of a lifeline after suffering the most from the pandemic. This is the legislation needed to combat the pandemic and nurse our economy back to health. Without it, it could take nearly two years for the economy to fully recover. Some suggest this bill is too big, and perhaps it is. But when it comes to moving on from this pandemic, it is better to be too big than too small.