Stimulus Update: Joe Biden Signs COVID-19 Relief Into Law

President Joe Biden on Thursday signed the sweeping COVID-19 stimulus package into law, putting a bow on the first major legislative accomplishment of Democrats’ united government.

The $1.9 trillion economic relief package has received popular support in national polling. It includes direct payments of $1,400 per individual, $350 billion in state and local aid and makes health insurance more affordable amid a struggling economy during the pandemic.

“This historic legislation is about rebuilding the backbone of this country, and giving the people of this nation, working people, the middle-class folks, people who built the country a fighting chance," Biden said.

Biden was expected to sign the bill on Friday. He will address the nation after 8 p.m. ET.

"I'm going to [deliver a] prime-time address to the American people and talk about what we've been through as a nation this past year, but more importantly, I'm going to talk about what comes next," Biden said Wednesday. "I'm going to launch the next phase of the COVID response and explain what we will do as a government and what we will ask of the American people."

What comes next, however, could pit Congress and Biden against each other: Biden wants to renew the nation’s infrastructure, but Congressional Democrats have set their sights on a range of social bills.

Meanwhile, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will conduct a speaking tour commemorating the anniversary of the pandemic and announcing the next steps to combat the virus.

“Everything in the American Rescue Plan addresses a real need,” Biden said Wednesday, “including investments to fund our entire vaccination effort, more vaccines, more vaccinators and more vaccination sites.”

Nancy Pelosi congratulated the Democratic caucus on its “very collaborative spirit” and told members to put out stimulus newsletters "to help its benefits be understood and enjoyed." Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer wasn’t short on praise, highlighting elements of the bill that bolstered COVID-19 efforts.

“We say to America: Help is on the way. You will receive $1,400 checks by the end of March,” he said. “Vaccines will be available far more quickly to far more quickly in a shorter time. Our schools will open safely and more quickly than we thought.”

The Democratic agenda gets more complicated after that point. Biden’s next priority is a plan to revitalize infrastructure that could dwarf the stimulus package. Congressional Democrats, meanwhile, have laid the groundwork for action on firearm background checks, immigration reform and renewing the Violence Against Women Act.

In a meeting last week, Biden told Democratic lawmakers “what we’re going to do to make sure we once again lead the world across the board in infrastructure.”

“It not only creates jobs, but it makes us a hell of a lot more competitive around the world if we have the best infrastructure in the world,” he said.

Experts have concurred, suggesting infrastructure renewal would provide a sizeable boost to GDP in both the long and short term. Congressional priorities are also complicated by razor-thin margins in the Senate, where conservative Democrats have refused to do away with the filibuster and are demanding Republicans be given a say in passing legislation. That could pose a roadblock to immigration reform and gun control.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., told Axios he might even try to sink Biden’s infrastructure bill if Republicans weren’t brought in.

“I'm not going to do it through reconciliation," he said. “[I won’t] get on a bill that cuts [Republicans] out completely before we start trying.”