House Budget Committee Clears COVID Relief Bill, Moves to Full House Vote
Updated March 7, 2021 — Everything is still on track in the legislative process to again secure all of the protections of the Payroll Support Program (PSP) April 1, 2021-September 30, 2021. There’s no doubt we are all feeling the emotional toll of the chaos and uncertainty from July-December 2020, but we are now in an organized, step-by-step legislative process for the American Rescue Plan that has a deadline of March 14th, due to expiring unemployment benefits. President Biden has made this legislation the top priority of his administration.
We just completed Step 5 of the legislative process detailed here. Congress has a deadline of March 14 because of expiring UI payments. This process could go up to that date or be done earlier in March.
Step 1: DONE - Senate Budget Committee assembles a budget resolution.
Step 2: DONE - Full Senate goes through a “vote a rama” process and passes their Budget resolution.
Step 3: DONE - Full House votes on the Senate's Budget resolution.
Step 4: DONE - House Committees mark up their sections of the American Rescue Plan package. The House Financial Services on Thursday passed our portion of the COVID Relief Bill that includes an extension to the Payroll Support Program through September 30, 2021. Kudos to the members in Guam who made sure their Representative was well informed on PSP. Representative San Nicolas (D-GU) chaired the Financial Services Committee during the time PSP was being discussed and he took the opportunity to speak up forcefully for our jobs. Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) was also key to this process and none of it would be possible without our champion Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and the continued support of Speaker Pelosi.
Step 5: DONE - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 16:
1. DONE - House Committees complete their work and send their sections to the House Budget Committee.
2. DONE - House Budget Committee assembles the final reconciliation package.
3. DONE - House Budget Committee votes on the final package and if it passes, it goes to the Rules Committee. The House Budget Committee passed the bill out of committee on Monday, February 22.
Step 6: DONE - WEEK OF FEBRUARY 22 -
1. DONE - House Rules Committee considers the bill.
2. DONE - Full House votes on the Budget reconciliation package. The House passed the package on Friday, Feb. 26 sending it on for a Senate vote as early as next week.
Step 7: DONE - WEEK OF MARCH 1 - Bill now is over in the Senate and they will have to bring it to the floor for a vote. Remember, last week Commerce Chair Maria Cantwell (D-WA) spoke on the Senate floor confirming PSP will be extended and on January 22nd Majority Leader Schumer spent time with AFA members on a town hall where he confirmed he would continue to secure our jobs just like he did in the Senate a year ago even when he was in the minority.
Step 8: WEEK of MARCH 8 - Senate bill will go back to the House and the full House will vote to pass it. The vote is expected Tuesday, March 9th or Wednesday, March 10th.
The economy doesn’t work without taking care of the people and eradicating the virus. More than 150 CEOs urged Congress to pass Biden’s COVID relief package including United, American Airlines, and JetBlue are all signers. This includes the protections of PSP through September 30, 2021.
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HOUSE: 888-907-9365
SENATE: 888-848-4824
"Hello, I am a constituent calling to ask [Representative] /[Senator] to help save my job as an essential worker. Pass the American Rescue Plan for all Americans and extend the Payroll Support Program for essential aviation workers through September 2021. Keep us connected to our jobs, our paychecks, and our healthcare. Thank you for your urgent attention to this."
