House Approves COVID-19 Relief Package, Biden's Signature Expected Friday

The House of Representatives voted in a mostly party-line vote on Wednesday to approve Senate amendments to President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief bill, titled the “American Rescue Plan,” and to send the bill to the White House for Biden’s signature. The House passed an earlier version of the bill on Feb. 27, but Senate Democrats added several amendments which, among other things, removed the controversial $15 minimum wage increase. The Senate parliamentarian had ruled earlier that a minimum wage adjustment was ineligible for a simple majority vote under budget reconciliation. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday that Biden plans to sign the bill on Friday. Coverage in left-rated outlets tended to portray the bill as a victory for Biden. Some coverage in right-rated outlets focused on the bill's partisan vote, with Fox News' coverage framing it as a "partisan monster."