Rep. Cleaver Votes In Favor of American Rescue Plan

Press Release

(Washington, D.C.) -- Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act, to combat the coronavirus pandemic and provide desperately needed financial relief to American families, workers, and small businesses. Based on President Biden's proposal unveiled last month, the $1.9 trillion package aims to crush the COVID-19 pandemic, distribute vaccines to the public, provide financial relief to families, return children safely to schools, and reopen businesses so employees can get back to work.

"More than a year after COVID-19 was first detected in the United States, the deadly virus continues to wreak havoc upon our nation and economy," said Congressman Cleaver. "As we have stated from the onset of this pandemic, we cannot solve the economic crisis until we get the public health crisis under control. With the American Rescue Plan, we are taking an ambitious, multifaceted approach to control the pandemic, provide urgently-needed relief to families and workers, and jumpstart the American economy. I'm proud to support this critically-important proposal, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the same."

As COVID-19 continues to destroy lives and livelihoods across the country, the American Rescue Plan Act would comprehensively address the public health and economic crises by:

Distributing lifesaving vaccines through a national vaccination program that includes setting up community vaccination sites nationwide. The plan also takes a broader approach to combating the pandemic by scaling up testing and tracing programs, addressing shortages of PPE and other critical supplies, investing in high-quality treatments, and addressing health inequities.
Delivering immediate relief to working class families, including $1,400 direct payments to households across the country. The relief package would also provide $26 billion for emergency rental assistance, $10 billion for homeowner assistance, and nutrition assistance for 40 million Americans; expand access to safe and reliable child care; extend and enhance unemployment insurance for 19 million American workers who lost jobs due to no fault of their own; support 27 million children through an expanded Child Tax Credit and 15 million low-wage workers through the Earned Income Tax Credit; and give 27 million working class Americans a long overdue raise by raising the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour.
Getting children back in school with a nearly $130 billion investment in K-12 schools so state and school districts across the country have the funding needed to safely reopen schools and make up for lost time in the classroom. The funding will go towards repairing and replacing ventilation systems, purchasing PPE for staff and students, hiring support staff to care for students' health, and addressing learning loss among students.
Putting Americans back to work with additional support for small businesses that have been hardest hit from the pandemic. The rescue plan would provide additional EIDL grants, expanded Paycheck Protection Program eligibility so that minority-owned and truly small businesses have greater access, targeted assistance to restaurants and live entertainment venues, and more.
The American Rescue Plan Act would also provide critical funding to states and municipalities to protect the jobs of first responders, frontline public health workers, teachers, transit workers, and other essential workers that have heroically been on the frontlines during the pandemic. According to estimates from the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Missouri would receive more than $5.3 billion in federal funding if the legislation were to be signed into law. Municipalities in the Fifth Congressional District of Missouri would receive the following estimated funding:

Kansas City, Missouri -- More than $195,000,000;
Jackson County -- More than $136,000,000;
Clay County -- More than $48,000,000;
Cass County -- More than $21,000,000;
Independence, Missouri -- More than $20,000,000;
Lee's Summit, Missouri -- More than $9,000,000;
Blue Springs, Missouri -- More than $7,000,000
Lafayette County -- More than $6,000,000;
Raytown, Missouri -- More than $5,300,000;
Ray County -- More than $4,000,000;
Saline County -- More than $4,000,000;
Marshall, Missouri -- More than $2,365,000;
Richmond, Missouri -- More than 1,040,000;
Odessa, Missouri -- More than $966,000; and
Lexington, Missouri -- More than $835,000.
According to a poll from Politico/Morning Consult, the American Rescue Plan Act enjoys overwhelming bipartisan support from the American public, as 76 percent of Americans support passage of the legislation, including 60 percent of Republicans.

"The American people have made one thing abundantly clear: They want Congress to provide immediate economic relief--and they believe the American Rescue Plan is the proper proposal to do so," said Congressman Cleaver. "Over 19 million workers are currently receiving unemployment benefits; almost 24 million Americans are going hungry; and up to 40 million of our citizens cannot afford to pay rent--living every day in fear of eviction. Congress must provide substantial relief to ensure a swift and equitable economic recovery, and the American Rescue Plan--supported by over 70 percent of Americans--would do just that."

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