March 15, 2021

Rep. Lawson Highlights Key Wins for Florida in Historic American Rescue Plan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, Congress passed the landmark American Rescue Plan, where it was later sent to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature. Today, Rep. Al Lawson (FL-05) proudly highlights the vital resources that Florida’s families and communities will receive to crush the virus, put vaccines in people’s arms, money in people’s pockets, children safely back in school and workers back in jobs. 

“For a year, the pandemic and economic crisis have devastated North Florida’s families and small businesses, but with the American Rescue Plan, Floridians will receive the urgent relief they need,” Rep. Lawson said. I was proud to help pass this landmark bill, and now, I am proud to share the robust support that will soon be headed to our families and communities.” 

The pandemic and economic crisis have had a severe impact on Florida:

  • Since the pandemic began, more than 1.9 million Floridians have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 31,000 have died;
  • The unemployment rate in Florida is 5.1%, up from 3.3% before the pandemic.
  • Since February 2020, more than 582,000 fewer Floridians are employed.
  • There are 1.9 million adults – 9% of all adults in the state – report not having enough food to eat.  This includes 953,000 adults living with children, or 19% of all Florida adults living with children, who report that the children in their household do not have enough to eat.
  • An estimated 1 million renters or 21% of renters are not caught up on rent.
  • An estimated 6 million adults or 38% of all adults statewide report having difficulty covering normal household expenses. 

But for Florida families, communities and small businesses, President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will save lives and livelihoods with targeted state and local relief:

  • $9.2 billion in state fiscal relief;
  • $7.6 billion in local fiscal relief;
  • More than $7 billion in relief for Florida K-12 schools;
  • Economic impact payments of up to $1,400 per person for more than 14 million Florida adults and 4.9 million children. This is 89 percent of all adults in the state and 89 percent of all children in the state; 
  • Additional relief of up to $1,600 per child through the Child Tax Credit to the families of 3.8 million children, lifting 272,000 Florida children out of poverty;
  • Additional relief of up to nearly $1,000 through the Earned Income Tax Credit to 1.3 million childless Florida workers, including many on the frontline; and
  • Marketplace health insurance premiums that are $ 1,410 lower per month for a 60-year old Florida couple earning $75,000 per year.

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