Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCOTT of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the spread of COVID-19 will present increasingly severe challenges for students, workers, and families. Communities across the country are counting on this Congress to deliver a bold, immediate, and targeted response.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act--which is the result of careful bipartisan negotiations--is an important step toward providing the American people the support they need to confront this national emergency.

This bill ensures that all Americans can access cost-free COVID-19 testing.

It provides states and schools the flexibility they need to ensure that students do not go hungry during school closures. It also provides child and adult care providers additional support to make sure people are getting the nutrition they need.

It provides women, infants, and children with the flexibility to access WIC food benefits and infant formula without the need to make unsafe visits to clinics.

It provides workers 14 days of emergency paid sick leave, so they are not forced to choose between their paycheck and their health.

And it also provides enhanced unemployment compensation and paid family and medical leave so that workers can take time off to care for themselves and their loved ones without losing their jobs.

By passing this legislation, we protect the health and financial security of millions of students, workers, and families.

But we must recognize that this package alone is not sufficient. In the coming weeks, we must be willing to take further action to address the consequences of this epidemic.

For example, I am particularly concerned that this bill does not include important safety protections for our front-line health care workers, who will be called upon to perform heroic work in the months ahead. I will continue to work with my colleagues to pass necessary legislation to protect their safety.

Additionally, at the last minute, provisions were inserted into the bill that regrettably denied some workers paid leave benefits. But millions of workers will have access to paid leave that is not available to them today.

So, I urge all Members to support the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

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