John,
Today, after months and months of stonewalling by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Republicans, the House just passed desperately needed relief that gets help to the American people. I voted YES, and wanted to tell you why.
The relief bill will extend unemployment insurance with extra $300 payments per week, plus another $100 for workers with mixed incomes. It includes tens of billions for schools, for vaccines and testing, for rental assistance, and more. And despite the obstruction and opposition of Republicans to sending checks directly to families, it includes a round of $600 payments, so a family of four would receive $2400.
Is it enough? No. Should it have happened months ago? Absolutely. But for millions of American families who are just trying to survive, it’s a lifeline.
Democrats have been doing everything we can for months to get more, but it was time to get this passed. Mitch McConnell had blocked it again and again and again. With Joe Biden taking office in just one month, this bill will build a bridge into 2021 and provide a down payment on what we need to beat this virus and restart the economy.
It shouldn’t have been so hard to get this done, during one of the most devastating public health and economic crises our country has ever seen, and in which countless Americans are losing their jobs, facing eviction, waiting in long lines at food banks, and struggling to pay their bills. Nevertheless, the GOP dragged its feet claiming they were worried about “the deficit.”
These are the same people who had no problem increasing the national debt by $2 TRILLION in order to pass the Trump tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest few.
The biggest deficit is in their values.
While this deal is not enough for those hurting the worst right now, it’s a start. But we need to make it clear that today’s deal is nowhere near the end. More help is on the way.
Once President-elect Joe Biden is inaugurated less than one month from today, the American people will have a strong ally in the White House once more, who is willing to fight to build our country back better.
And if we continue to get out the vote across Georgia in these final two weeks and successfully elect Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock on January 5th, we can finally take back the Senate from McConnell and urgently pass the additional relief Americans need and deserve.
I know this is a challenging time. But please know that I am fighting for you each and every day that I’m in Washington, and in the new year, our fight for the American people continues.
As the Christmas and New Year holidays approach (my family just finished our celebration of Hanukkah), I wish you and yours a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season. For those of you struggling, please know that my heart and thoughts are with you. We will get through this, together.
— Adam
