President Biden released details of his administration's first legislative proposal, a $1.9 trillion COVID relief proposal, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The package, according to the New York Times, "includes more than $400 billion to combat the pandemic directly, including money to accelerate vaccine deployment and to safely reopen most schools within 100 days. An additional $350 billion would help state and local governments bridge budget shortfalls, while the plan would also include a dramatic increase in tax credits to help lift children, families, and workers out of poverty, $1,400 direct payments to individuals, more generous unemployment benefits, federally mandated paid leave for workers, food and housing aid, and large subsidies for child care costs."

In his announcement of the plan, Biden said, “The very health of our nation is at stake. We have to act and we have to act now.”

More than 28 million Americans have contracted COVID-19 and roughly 500,000 have already died.

This is a historic rescue package to fund vaccinations and contain the virus, deliver direct, immediate relief to those hardest hit, and support struggling communities