John,

As our communities, families, and local economies continue to be disrupted by this outbreak, my number one priority is ensuring the federal government prioritizes Washington families and businesses. Today, the House passed a bipartisan, workers-first $2 trillion coronavirus spending bill.

The bill is now heading to the president's desk for signature. There are still many challenges left for us to tackle, but I believe this spending bill is a step in the right direction for our nation's recovery.

The spending bill includes:

• $100 billion in assistance for hospitals.
• $11 billion for diagnostics, treatments, and vaccine development.
• $16 billion to the Strategic National Stockpile to increase the availability of equipment, including ventilators and masks.
• $260 billion investment in Unemployment Insurance benefits for our workers to match the average paycheck of laid-off or furloughed workers. A new Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program will cover workers not covered by traditional unemployment insurance, including self-employed and gig workers.
• $150 billion for state and local relief funds.
• $377 billion in fast relief for small businesses, and allows rent, mortgage, and utility costs to be eligible for SBA loan forgiveness.
• $30 billion in emergency education funding for students, with eliminated income tax on student loan repayment assistance.
• $15.5 billion is going to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP.
• $400 million for expanding vote by mail, early voting, and other measures to reduce health risks from voting and protect our elections.

Washington State has a higher amount of COVID-19 cases with a lower number of ventilators on hand than much of the country. That's why I am working alongside my Washington colleagues to make sure we get the medical supplies we need.

Currently, Washington State is weeks ahead of the rest of the country in managing the COVID-19 outbreak. I will continue to hold the federal government accountable to its obligation to respond to this crisis and will continue to keep you updated.

Thank you, and stay well,

Suzan DelBene