Rep. Grijalva Votes for COVID-19 Rescue Package for Workers, Families, and Small Businesses

Press Release

Today, the House of Representatives passed the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion package to send relief to workers, families, and small businesses. The legislation will soon be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

"One year into the pandemic and our communities continue to struggle," said Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva. "Our friends and loved ones have died, millions remain unemployed, our children are missing critical in-person learning opportunities, and countless small businesses have shuttered. The American Rescue Plan recognizes these traumas and direct funds to put money in the pockets of those most impacted, safely return our children to in-person learning, and get shots in the arms of everyone in the country so that we can end the pandemic once and for all. A crisis of this magnitude warrants an equal response, and this legislation gets our families, workers, and small businesses the relief they deserve."

The package includes:

Direct $1400 payments for individuals and children,
Expanding the child tax credit to $3000 ($3600 for children under 6), making it fully refundable, and directs the Secretary of the Treasury to issue periodic monthly advance payments to families,
Funds for mass vaccinations campaigns and testing blitzes to stop the spread of the virus,
Funds for schools to safely return to in-person learning and make up for lost time in the classroom,
Arizona will receive approximately $2.58 billion in K-12 funds and $683 million in Higher Education Funds
Extended unemployment benefits of $300 per week through Sept 6,
Expanded Affordable Car Act subsidies for more Americans to get health insurance--including those who lost their employer-based coverage in the pandemic,
Emergency rental, mortgage, and utility assistance,
Investments in food security programs like expanded SNAP benefits, WIC and pandemic EBT,
Funding for child-care providers to safely reopen,
Funding to support colleges and universities and requires institutions to dedicate at least half of their funding for emergency financial aid grants to students,
Support for small businesses with increasing the Paycheck Protection Program, a new restaurant revitalization fund, and emergency grants through the EIDL program,
Additional funds for states and now direct funds to local governments,
Arizona will receive $7.63 billion for state and local governments.
Funds for Indian Country to continue vaccination and testing efforts.
"Don't be fooled by qualms about "process' coming from Congressional Republicans," said Rep. Grijalva. "The vast majority of the Americans, including numerous Republicans mayors, support these relief efforts. I urge President Biden to sign this legislation as quickly as possible and begin distributing relief funds immediately."

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