WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals.
CNN and Politico also confirmed the news Sunday evening.
The president has signed the covid relief/government funding bill, several sources told me.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) December 28, 2020
NEWS: President Trump has signed the Covid relief/spending package, per sources
— Phil Mattingly (@Phil_Mattingly) December 28, 2020
(W/ @kaitlancollins)
In a statement, President Trump he signed the bill to "restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more."
But the wait for relief from Congress continued to frustrate Lathyia Andrews who has been waiting for consistent help since May 15th.
"I have never been a dependent person," the mom of three said Sunday night sitting in her Akron home. "I'm depending on people, so and it's made me humble."
Andrews said shes been taking care of herself and working since she was 16-years-old. When she lost her job in May, the rest of the year was marred by uncertainty. She was fired from her job on May 14th and started seeking benefits on May 15th. When News 5 talked to Andrews over the summer, she was still waiting on help.
And the holiday spirit was dimmed this year because of the delays in aid.
"Hell. It's been hell," she said about 2020.
Because no money is coming in Andrews is behind on rent.
"Right now I owe $2,800 ... It made me want to cry because I'm like, I don't know where that's going to come from."
Three months of eviction notices sit in a dresser in her hallway. Andrews, like millions of Americans, spent the holiday wondering if Congress would act and what would happen if they didn't.
The last minute action by Trump and elected officials left Andrews feeling forgotten.
"And it's like do the government not care for people?"
President Trump added that the House would vote on Monday to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000, which means a family of four would receive $5,200.
Trump stated that with the signing of the bill, the House and Senate agreed to "focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election."
"The Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud," Trump said in the statement.
The massive bill includes $1.4 trillion to fund government agencies through September and contains other end-of-session priorities such as money for cash-starved transit systems and an increase in food stamp benefits.
Democrats are promising more aid to come once President-elect Joe Biden takes office, but Republicans are signaling a wait-and-see approach.
Despite the President's signature, Andrews isn't sure help will come her way in 2021.
"I really just don't know what's to come next," she said about the new year.
Read President Trump's entire statement below:
As President of the United States, it is my responsibility to protect the people of our country from the economic devastation and hardship that was caused by the China Virus.
I understand that many small businesses have been forced to close as a result of harsh actions by Democrat-run states. Many people are back to work, but my job is not done until everyone is back to work.
Fortunately, as a result of my work with Congress in passing the CARES Act earlier this year, we avoided another Great Depression. Under my leadership, Project Warp Speed has been a tremendous success, my Administration and I developed a vaccine many years ahead of wildest expectations, and we are distributing these vaccines, and others soon coming, to millions of people.
As President, I have told Congress that I want far less wasteful spending and more money going to the American people in the form of $2,000 checks per adult and $600 per child.
As President, I am demanding many rescissions under the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. The Act provides that, “whenever the President determines that all or part of any budget authority will not be required to carry out the full objectives or scope of programs for which it is provided, or that such budget authority should be rescinded for the fiscal policy or other reasons (including termination of authorized projects or activities for which budget authority has been provided), the President shall transmit to both Houses of Congress a special message” describing the amount to be reserved, the relevant accounts, the reasons for the rescission, and the economic effects of the rescission. 2 U.S.C. § 683.
I will sign the Omnibus and Covid package with a strong message that makes clear to Congress that wasteful items need to be removed. I will send back to Congress a redlined version, item by item, accompanied by the formal rescission request to Congress insisting that those funds be removed from the bill.
I am signing this bill to restore unemployment benefits, stop evictions, provide rental assistance, add money for PPP, return our airline workers back to work, add substantially more money for vaccine distribution, and much more.
On Monday the House will vote to increase payments to individuals from $600 to $2,000. Therefore, a family of four would receive $5,200. Additionally, Congress has promised that Section 230, which so unfairly benefits Big Tech at the expense of the American people, will be reviewed and either be terminated or substantially reformed.
Likewise, the House and Senate have agreed to focus strongly on the very substantial voter fraud which took place in the November 3 Presidential election.
The Senate will start the process for a vote that increases checks to $2,000, repeals Section 230, and starts an investigation into voter fraud.
Big Tech must not get protections of Section 230!
Voter Fraud must be fixed!
Much more money is coming. I will never give up my fight for the American people!
