The sweeping $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill is one step closer to becoming law after Vice President Kamala Harris cast the deciding Senate vote on a key measure early this morning. As the bill heads back to the House of Representatives for a vote on reconciliation, Rep. Al Green (D-Texas 9th District), told Cheddar that while Democrats look to pass the bill as it stands, he is willing to negotiate on some terms of the potential law.
The bill includes $350 billion in state and local aid, a $20 billion national vaccine plan, and $50 billion for testing efforts. Americans applying for unemployment benefits would also receive an extra $400 per claim in addition to $1,400 checks for qualified Americans.
"I think the president has outlined an outstanding bill. I do believe that it's important that we get the rent paid because it helps the renters as well as the landlords," Green said.
Another item that could make it into the bill is the raising of the federal minimum wage to $15, although the Senate voted it down overnight, a provision that the congressman said he believed would bring people out of poverty. Though Green admitted that there is concern that the job market could take a blow as a result of the increase, he said that a minimum wage boost "helps the entire economy."
"We hear this same argument each time we raise the minimum wage and each time it's successfully raised and the economy is helped as a result of it. The minimum wage is not going to just simply go immediately to $15, it's phased in," Green noted.
Following debate over the amended relief bill, Congress is likely to begin steps to investigate r/WallStreetBets, in what he says will be an inquiry into January's stunning rise and fall of stocks like GameStop and any potentially nefarious dealings.
"Well, at some point, have a hearing, and we'll start with witnesses that are available to us at the time and then we sort of follow the facts," he said. "I believe that the facts ought to determine where an investigation goes."
Nestlé has dismissed its CEO Laurent Freixe after an investigation into an undisclosed relationship with a direct subordinate. The company announced on Monday that the dismissal was effective immediately. An investigation found that Freixe violated Nestlé’s code of conduct. He had been CEO for a year. Philipp Navratil, a longtime Nestlé executive, will replace him. Chairman Paul Bulcke stated that the decision was necessary to uphold the company’s values and governance. Navratil began his career with Nestlé in 2001 and has held various roles, including CEO of Nestlé's Nespresso division since 2024.
Kraft Heinz is splitting into two companies a decade after they joined in a massive merger that created one of the biggest food companies on the planet. One of the companies will include brands such as Heinz, Philadelphia cream cheese and Kraft Mac & Cheese. The other will include brands like Oscar Mayer, Kraft Singles and Lunchables. When the company formed in 2015 it wanted to capitalize on its massive scale, but shifting tastes complicated those plans, with households seeking to introduce healthier options at the table. Kraft Heinz's net revenue has fallen every year since 2020.
About 780,000 pressure washers sold at retailers like Home Depot are being recalled across the U.S. and Canada, due to a projectile hazard that has resulted in fractures and other injuries among some consumers.
