After the transmittal of the bill took longer than initially expected, the House of Representatives now plans to vote on the Senate version of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act on Wednesday, March 10, according to multiple reports. The House vote had been expected on March 9.
The House is expected to quickly approve the Senate’s version of the bill, which includes $2 billion of funding for the Technology Modernization Fund and other tech priorities. President Biden pledged to sign the measure – which forms the cornerstone of his initial legislative agenda – once it gets to his desk.
“Look, the bottom line is this: This plan puts us on the path to beating the virus. This plan gives those families who are struggling the most the help and the breathing room they need to get through this moment. This plan gives small businesses in this country a fighting chance to survive. And one more thing: This plan is historic,” Biden said in a March 6 press conference.
The House initially planned to take up the bill – which the Senate passed on March 6 – today, but the House Rules Committee was unable to take up the bill until today. The committee took action to allow for two hours of debate on the bill when it reaches the floor.
House approval of the bill on March 10 would give President Biden a few days to spare until a March 14 deadline to get the bill signed – that’s when various existing unemployment programs expire. It will be the House’s second vote on the bill, which now includes the Senate amendments, after the chamber passed its own version of the plan on Feb. 27.
