Thread by @SeanCasten

The COVID relief bill we are passing on the floor today will be the 2nd biggest appropriations bill ever passed by Congress (after CARES, bigger than ARRA). It is enormously impactful and yet will only buy us a couple months to bridge to Biden.

So be wary of anyone who tells you that (a) injecting $900B into the economy isn't a big deal OR (b) that our work here is done and we must now shift to fiscal austerity.

We pushed for much more money, way back in June in the House, but McConnell ignored it. He has acted now on this smaller, later bill because he's nervous losing his majority. What we got isn't nothing. But getting what we need in a few months depends on Georgia.

But for now, let's acknowledge what we did:
- $300/month unemployment insurance
- $600 direct payments (subject to your income)
- eligibility for both of above now covers mixed-income households (e.g., where only one has a SSN)

- >$300B in new PPP funding to help small businesses
- Additional targeted support for entertainment venues
- Expanded PPP eligibility for restaurants
- $ to airlines that has to be preferentially used for employees\
- $69B for vaccine development, distribution, testing

- $25B in emergency rental assistance, including eviction moratoriums
- $7B for broadband, targeted to poor / rural areas to keep the internet on
- $13B in food assistance (increased SNAP eligibility, TFAP, etc)
- College students with food insecurity now eligible for SNAP

This is a partial list, and as I said at the start, is not everything we want nor everything our country needs. Such is the nature of negotiating with someone who's preference is to do nothing but tax cuts for those who already have plenty.