Representative Malinowski Votes to Pass the American Rescue Plan Act

(Washington, DC) Last night, the House of Representatives passed the American Rescue Plan Act, a $1.9 trillion relief package to address the unprecedented COVID-19 public health and economic crisis. This critical legislation will provide direct support to struggling Americans, get vaccines to the people, create millions of jobs, and get local leaders the resources needed to re-open schools.

“The legislation passed by the House today provides the resources necessary to get Americans through this crisis and crush the pandemic so our economy can recover,” said Rep. Malinowski. “Importantly for New Jersey, this bill includes vital funding for our state and local governments to help keep critical workers on the job.”

The American Rescue Act Plan will:

• Speed up COVID-19 vaccinations and contain the virus: The bill provides $20 billion to establish a national vaccination program and improve the administration and distribution of vaccinations. It also provides $51 billion to expand testing, contact tracing, and mitigation and related activities.
• Provide the resources needed to allow schools to safely re-open: This bill makes nearly $130 billion available to states and school districts for immediate and long-term relief so they can work with public health experts to safely re-open schools and make up for lost time in the classroom.
• Deliver immediate relief to working families bearing the brunt of the crisis: The bill will provide direct assistance to households across America by $1,400 per person and extend pandemic unemployment assistance through September. It will also provide direct housing and nutrition assistance to families struggling to get by, and give families with children, as well as childless workers, a boost through enhanced tax credits.
• Support communities struggling with the economic fallout: The bill increases Paycheck Protection Program funding by $7.25 billion and expands eligibility to ensure it reaches nonprofits of all sizes and types. The bill also provides $25 billion for a new program to offer assistance to restaurants and bars with 20 or fewer locations that have been hit hard by the pandemic. Additionally, the bill includes $15 billion for targeted Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program Advances to help those who applied for relief in 2020 but did not receive the full $10,000 grant.
• Include $350 billion in emergency funding for state and local governments: The bill provides resources for state and local governments to protect the jobs of front line public workers, while also effectively distributing the vaccine, scaling testing, reopening schools, and maintaining other vital services.
• Rescue the child care system from the brink of collapse: The bill provides $39 billion through the Child Care and Development Block Grant for child care providers as the country reopens and provides financial relief for families struggling to cover tuition.