News
Washington DC
The House of Representatives passed President Biden’s $1.9trn stimulus package on Saturday by 219 votes to 212. The vote largely followed party lines, with two Democrats joining the Republican-led opposition. The bill then moved on to the Senate, where Democrats “sought to bridge differences over jobless benefits, aid for state and local governments and $1,400 direct payments [to individual Americans]”, say Andrew Duehren and Kristina Peterson in The Wall Street Journal. While Republicans have criticised the size of the package and some Democrats have voiced concerns, Democratic senators are expected to approve the legislation without opposition support. On Tuesday the Senate also confirmed Gina Raimondo, governor of the state of Rhode Island, as the new commerce secretary, with some Republicans questioning whether her stance on China is “sufficiently tough”. Meanwhile, the manufacturing recovery “remains red hot”, says Michael Pearce
