U.S. Senate Passes $1.9 Trillion COVID Relief Bill

The U.S. Senate passed a $1.9 Trillion COVID relief package Saturday.

Washington Senator Maria Cantwell voted in favor of the bill calling it important.

"Because it provides $20 billion to invest in vaccine administration and distribution. That includes launching community vaccine centers, deploying mobile vaccine units to hard to reach areas, and continuing to support
an increased pace of vaccinations."

She said getting vaccines into the arms of Americans was their No. 1 job.

Cantwell says the pandemic has been particularly rough on restaurants, though the PPP program has helped.

"I believe this legislation will be even more helpful. Since the beginning of
the pandemic, 110,000 restaurants across our country have closed, either permanently or for an extended period of time, including 2,300 in the state of Washington. And some are just struggling to hang on."

The measure passed 50-49 along party lines with Republican Dan Sullivan of Alaska not able to vote due to a death in the family.

It now has to go back to the House of Representatives to be voted which could be done in the next few days.