Providing for Consideration of Senate Amendment to H.R. United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act; Providing for Disposition of Senate Amendment to H.R. Purple Book Continuity Act of and for Other Purposes

Floor Speech

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and the underlying COVID relief package:

Another $284 billion for PPP loans for small businesses that have been hurting for so long, particularly restaurants that are struggling. Finally, Main Street will get some help. We bailed out Wall Street a long time ago and all the big guys; now we have got to bail out Main Street.

$20 billion in EIDL grants for small businesses; another $600 in stimulus checks for individuals and children. It should have been $1,200, but we will take the $600 now, and we will be back after January 20.

$300 for unemployment benefits. It should have been a little bit more. You can't live on $300.

$13 billion for SNAP. People are starving, the lines are longer, made up of families and children.

$14 billion for public transit, in addition to $4 billion for the MTA. The MTA has a $12 billion gap. We will be back for the rest of that money.

$68 billion for purchasing vaccines, and $20 billion for distributing them.

Broadband.

And, finally, Madam Speaker, $4 billion for Gavi, an international vaccine distribution alliance, because it is not an epidemic; it is a pandemic.

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Mr. ESPAILLAT. We will not be free of COVID unless the rest of the world is.

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