President-elected Joe Biden unveiled the first of his two planned COVID-19 response bills Thursday night, and the nearly $2 trillion “rescue” plan elicited praise, mostly, from his fellow Democrats in the Massachusetts delegation.

More than triple the size of the 2009 stimulus bill, Biden’s proposed legislative package includes $350 billion in aid to state and local governments, an additional $170 billion for reopening schools, and $160 billion for a national vaccination program and expanding testing. It also includes a $400 boost to weekly unemployment benefits, a round of $1,400 direct payments to most individuals, expanded paid leave and child tax credits, and an eventual increase in the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour.

While the bill still must pass a narrowly divided albeit Democrat-controlled Congress, the Bay State delegation said the overall plan was a good first step. 

...After last month’s relief bill included $600 payments, Rep. Katherine Clark tweeted that the additional $1,400 payments will “finish the job of getting Americans $2,000 in direct support.” However, Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley continued their calls for recurring $2,000 payments during the COVID-19 crisis.

[Twitter Caption - @RepKClark: In 6 days, we'll finish the job of getting Americans $2,000 in direct support.]

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Original story here.