Maryland will receive almost $4 billion in direct aid from the federal government and struggling restaurants will get additional assistance once Congress finishes passing its latest stimulus package.
The U.S. Senate passed Democratic President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan during a marathon voting session that began Friday and extended into the early hours of Saturday morning. The measure, which did not receive any Republican support in the party-line vote, is expected to get final approval from the House and Biden by the end of the week.
Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, both Democrats representing Maryland, outlined the bill’s provisions and their resulting impact during a press briefing Monday. It includes an extension for expanded unemployment insurance benefits, direct payments for millions of individuals and families, and funding for various programs to help prop up small businesses ravaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
