House Democrats unveiled a $2.2 trillion COVID-19 relief package Sept. 28 in an attempt to restart negotiations with the White House, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Four things to know:
1. The scaled-back $2.2 trillion relief package is $1.2 trillion less than the HEROES Act passed by the House earlier this year, according to The Hill.
2. The relief package includes funding for the U.S. Postal Service and money for airlines, restaurants, schools and child care centers. The new bill also includes another round of direct payments to Americans, would renew supplemental unemployment aid that expired in July and extend the Paycheck Protection Program, according to The Wall Street Journal.
3. The relief package includes $75 billion for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing and other healthcare efforts, and another $28 billion for procurement, distribution and awareness campaigns for a COVID-19 vaccine, according to Bloomberg.
4. The legislation would set aside $2 billion to provide more personal protective equipment for essential workers. It also increases federal spending on Medicaid, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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