Pingree Votes to Deliver Pandemic Relief, Fully Fund Federal Government Through September 2021

Press Release

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) released the following statement regarding her vote for H.R. 133, an omnibus spending bill consisting of all 12 fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, coronavirus relief, and additional authorizations:

"While this package is insufficient, I will vote yes because half a loaf is better than no loaf at all. Just days before Christmas, thousands of Mainers are in a state of crisis--teetering on the brink of eviction, relying on food banks for their next meal, or terrified about how they will find a job after losing their employment or small business. Our neighbors desperately need help. It's incredibly disappointing that this bill caps stimulus checks at half the amount the House passed in May and it does not include comprehensive assistance to state local governments barely treading water. However, it would be irresponsible not to support overdue funding for testing and vaccine distribution, nutrition assistance, supports for students to learn safely, an extension of unemployment, and a new round of funding for Maine's struggling small businesses--as well as support for Bath Iron Works, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, and other integral parts of Maine's economy. Our nation needs this boost.

"This greatly needed support is nine months late and this crisis will likely continue for months more. I look forward to working with the Biden Administration to pass funding for state and local governments and more direct aid to Americans."

Highlights of the COVID-19 relief package include:

Stimulus checks: An additional round of direct payments worth up to $600 per adult and child.

Unemployment: An additional 11 weeks of eligibility for unemployment insurance, including the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, and a $300/week federal supplement through March 14th, 2021.

Small Businesses: New and targeted assistance, including:

A second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans targeted toward smaller and harder-hit businesses;
Deductibility of business expenses paid for with forgiven PPP amounts;
Additional PPP support for restaurants and hospitality businesses based on payroll;
$15 billion in grants for independent live venue operators, theatrical producers, live performing arts organization operators, museum operators, and movie theaters.
Public Health: $73 billion to support public health initiatives, including:

$8.75 billion to support vaccine distribution and administration, including $4.5 billion for state and local health departments
$19.695 billion to support manufacturing and procurement of vaccines, therapeutics, and ancillary supplies
$22.4 billion for testing and contact tracing activities
$4.25 billion for mental health and substance use services and support
Nutrition: A 15% increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through June 30, 2021 and additional funding and flexibility in other anti-hunger programs. The package slso includes $175 million in emergency funding for Older Americans Act nutrition programs.

Housing: $25 billion for emergency rental assistance and an extension of the CDC eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021.

Agriculture and Forestry:

$100 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), which Pingree authored in the 2018 Farm Bill, to support local food infrastructure, farmers' markets, and value-added processing
$200 million for timber harvesters and haulers in line with the Loggers Relief Act, of which Pingree is a cosponsor
$60 million to support small meat and poultry processors and alleviate bottlenecks in the food supply chain in line with the RAMP-UP Act, of which Pingree is a cosponsor
Education

$10 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grants and $250 million for Head Start to provide immediate assistance to child care providers and families
$82 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund, including flexible funding to support the educational needs of States, school districts, and institutions of higher education and the students they serve.
Broadband: $7 billion in investments to increase access to broadband, including a new Emergency Broadband Benefit to help millions of students, families and unemployed workers afford the broadband they need during the pandemic, $300 million for rural broadband, and $250 million for telehealth.

Transportation: $10 billion for state Departments of Transportation, $2 billion for motorcoach companies, school bus companies, and ferries, and $1 billion for Amtrak.

Coronavirus Relief Fund: An extended deadline to for state and local governments to spend CRF allocations from the CARES Act through December 31, 2021.

Highlights of the FY 2021 omnibus include:

$3.2 billion for two DDG-51 destroyers, one of which is to be built at BIW
$160 million for dry dock modernization at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
$63.2 million for offshore wind, including $4 million for additive manufacturing work on large wind blades
$53 million for EPA and partner agencies for scientific and regulatory work to develop drinking water and cleanup standards for PFAS chemicals
$19.4 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP), a program championed by Pingree in the 2018 Farm Bill
$15.5 million for NOAA's Ocean Acidification program
$167.5 million each for the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities

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