On the recordDecember 21, 2020
I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. The agreement before us today recognizes that to get our economy moving again, to return to something that feels like normalcy, we must get this virus under control. In this agreement, Democrats secured billions to rapidly distribute a free and safe vaccine and to invest in nationwide testing and tracing measures that will save lives. It isn't perfect, and more action is required to address the challenges that Americans are facing, but it is everything we can do right now with this Senate and this President. With this bill, we have averted a sudden end to unemployment benefits that millions would have faced and added $300 per week to the benefit. We funded a new round of survival checks and emergency rental assistance, included an eviction moratorium, and boosted SNAP and child nutrition benefits. And for the small businesses struggling to keep the lights on, this bill provides billions in economic assistance to forgivable loans. Across this country, people in communities like mine are hurting. Frankly, they have been hurting for far too long. We are going to work with the Biden-Harris administration to build on this progress and deliver for the American people, and I am confident that brighter days are ahead.
