Friend--

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

We just passed the largest rescue bill in American history -- the bipartisan CARES Act. This historic legislation is going to help a lot of the people and businesses who are struggling right now.

From the moment this pandemic began, I have listened to upstate New Yorkers. I have heard the pain in people's voices. The stress, anxiety, and worry from folks as they wonder whether they are going to make it through this crisis is crystal clear.

I hope the passage of this $2 trillion package gives you some comfort. Democrats and Republicans in both the House and the Senate hear you and are working for you. We are sending much needed, critical support to America’s hospitals, workers, businesses, farmers, and local governments.

As I've said before, a healthy economy depends on having a healthy workforce.

This package creates a $150 billion Marshall Plan to help our medical professionals, health care systems, and hospitals across the country wage war on COVID-19.

I'm especially encouraged by the crucial support the CARES Act gives to rural hospitals, many of which were struggling before this crisis hit.

We will now be able to ensure hospitals remain open and ensure they have the resources to conduct testing, treat the sick, and save lives.

We've also created a state fiscal stabilization fund that will direct $150 billion in funding to help states and local governments respond to the COVID-19 crisis. In New York, we will receive $7.5 billion so we can fight the virus and ensure other government services remain operational.

This package also provides much needed relief to workers and families who are desperately trying to ride out this storm. Many will receive direct payments of $1,200 and an additional $500 to cover every child in qualifying households.

The direct payments are on top of enhanced unemployment benefits that leave no one behind.

All workers -- including freelancers and those in the gig economy -- who lose their jobs as a result of the pandemic will be able to secure four full months of unemployment benefits.

And employers will be able to furlough employees instead of firing them so workers can receive both unemployment and health care benefits. This critical provision of the CARES Act will also help ramp up our economic recovery, as it ensures workers have jobs to go back to when the pandemic has passed.

This legislation also responds to the urgent needs of upstate New York, including farmers and small businesses.

Small businesses and family farms are the backbone of our upstate economy. Since the coronavirus pandemic began, both are feeling the extreme economic pain and uncertainty from disruptions to markets, schools, and restaurants.

I am glad the CARES Act includes two critically important proposals that I introduced so small business owners can access relief from their loan payments, and farmers can access disaster assistance payments to stay in operation.

The small business repayment relief provisions provide billions to cover six months of loan payments for all qualified loans. This is a lifeline for American small businesses fighting for their survival over the coming months, including the 27,000 small businesses and self-employed owners in New York’s 19th Congressional District.

To help businesses make payroll, pay rent, protect jobs, they will have access to economic aid totaling an unprecedented $377 billion in low-cost and forgivable loans.

This is just the beginning. We will have much more work to do to support America's hospitals, workers, farmers, businesses, and state and local governments in the fight ahead.

Stay safe and healthy,

Antonio Delgado

CARES ACT DETAILS

Direct cash payments for low and middle-income families - $1,200 per person and $500 per child.
$150 billion for hospitals and health systems to fight the virus.
$260 billion for increased unemployment insurance that waives waiting periods and covers part-time, self-employed, and gig economy workers.
$377 billion to rescue small businesses, including forgivable loans to small businesses and nonprofits to maintain their workforce and help pay for other expenses like rent, mortgage, and utilities.
$150 billion to assist States, Tribes, and local governments with new expenses related to COVID-19 response.
$30.75 billion for grants to provide emergency support to local school systems and higher education institutions to continue providing educational services to their students, as well as $8.8 billion in additional funding to ensure meals for children while schools are closed.
$3.5 billion to support child care centers and provide child care for first responders and health care workers.
$400 million in election assistance for the states to help prepare for the 2020 election cycle, including to increase the ability to vote by mail and expand early voting and online registration.
$7 billion for affordable housing and homelessness assistance programs. This funding will help low-income and working-class Americans avoid evictions.
$1 billion to allow the Department of Defense to invest in manufacturing capabilities that are key to increasing the production rate of personal protective equipment and medical equipment to meet the demand of healthcare workers all across the nation.
$450 million through The Emergency Food Assistance Program to help stock the shelves of local food banks.
$100 million for USDA’s ReConnect program and $25 million for distance learning and telemedicine in rural areas.
$19.5 billion for the VA, including $15.8 billion in funds for direct medical care, as well as $3 billion to strengthen VA Facilities and Information Technology systems to support telemedicine.
Strong requirements for industries receiving bailout money including no stock buybacks or dividends, restrictions on increases to executive compensation and a prohibition of funds for any businesses controlled by the President, Vice President, Members of Congress, and heads of Executive Departments.