House panel advances $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill as Democrats move toward passage this week

The House on Monday moved forward with its $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package, setting the stage for passage later this week.

The chamber’s Budget Committee advanced the bill in a 19-16 vote as Democrats rush to beat a March 14 deadline to extend key unemployment programs. The party is trying to pass the proposal through budget reconciliation, which allows it to get through the evenly split Senate without Republican support.

The bill’s main provisions include:

A $400 per week unemployment insurance supplement through Aug. 29