The US is poised to pass its third major spending package of the pandemic - a $1.9tn (£1.4tn) plan that President Joe Biden has championed as a way to help struggling Americans. Leaders of his Democratic Party, which has a slim majority in Congress, are planning to pass the so-called American Rescue Plan by the end of the month. Republicans say the plan is unnecessarily large and stuffed with Democratic priorities unrelated to the pandemic. But Mr Biden and his team maintain the US must "act big" and that the extra cash is being spent on those most affected by the crisis - the poor, minorities and women. Here are some of the key elements, with analysis by BBC correspondent Anthony Zurcher who ranks how much each component has support from Republicans (party mascot the elephant). Direct payments - $422bn The plan calls on the government to send out $1,400 per person, with the payments phasing out for those with higher incomes -at $75,000 for a single person and couples making more than $150,000. This will be the third stimulus cheque since the pandemic. The US approved $1,200 cheques last spring, and another $600 in late December. Supporters see the payments as critical financial support for families - many of which have seen incomes drop, even if they have not lost work entirely. But opponents say the measure is overly broad.