March 10, 2021

U.S. Rep. Lawson Votes to Pass $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan, Sending COVID Relief Package to President Biden’s Desk

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congress passed a $1.9 trillion emergency relief package that provides direct payments to help millions of Americans who have been adversely affected by the pandemic, additional funding to expand COVID-19 vaccination sites, extend pandemic unemployment benefits and help small businesses. Rep. Lawson (FL-05) voted in favor of the bill, which passed 220-211. The bill now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature. 

“I am happy we passed the American Rescue Plan,” Rep. Lawson said. “This bill will help a lot of North Florida families who are struggling to get by, provide the resources to get additional vaccines to the areas that need them most, put money into families’ pockets, return children safely to the classroom and put people back to work. As Floridians continue to suffer from the fallout associated with the pandemic, we must make sure our cities and counties have the resources to combat this crisis and help our communities to rebuild.”

Today's action will:

  • Direct Payments: Provide $1,400 stimulus checks to individuals with incomes up to $75,000, head of household filers with incomes up to $112,500, and joint filers with incomes up to $150,000.  
  • Unemployment: Provides $300 per week in unemployment benefits through September 6, 2021. 
  • Emergency Grants for Rural Health:  Provides $500 million to award emergency grants for rural health care costs related to COVID-19, including increasing capacity for vaccine distribution, constructing temporary or permanent structures to provide vaccine administration or testing, and supporting staffing needs for vaccine administration or testing.
  • Help Americans Stay in their homes:  Provides emergency aid to cover back rent, and help struggling homeowners catch up with their mortgage payments and utility costs through the Homeowners Assistance Fund.
  • Vaccinations: Invest $20 billion in a coordinated, nationwide vaccine program that sets up community vaccination sites, improve communication to strengthen confidence in the vaccine, scale up testing and tracing, address shortages of personal protective equipment and other critical supplies, invest in high-quality treatments, and address health care disparities; 
  • Education: Make a nearly $130 billion investment in school re-opening and making up for lost learning. The American Rescue Plan also provides resources for higher education, Head Start and childcare facilities, make any future student loan forgiveness passed between December 2020 and January 2026 not taxable income.
  • Businesses: Provide crucial support for the hardest-hit small businesses, with: $15 billion in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) grants, expanded Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) eligibility and an additional $7.25 billion in funding, $28.6 billion to revitalize restaurants, food, and beverage establishments, and additional resources to help small and disadvantaged businesses navigate and access COVID relief programs; and

 

  • Frontline Workers: Provide resources to protect the jobs of first responders, frontline public health workers, teachers, transit workers and other essential workers.

 

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