Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2021

Floor Speech

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Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of getting the American people the help they need and getting it to them fast.

The budget resolution before us today is simple. It allows Congress to act quickly to deliver much-needed assistance to the American people so that we can defeat this pandemic. That means more survival checks, enhanced unemployment benefits, new grants and loans for small businesses, State and local aid, education funding, faster vaccinations, and much more.

This winter has been the most challenging period of the COVID-19 crisis. People have been driven to desperation with skyrocketing cases, hospitalizations, and 440,000 deaths nationwide. But now we see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Every day, over a million more Americans receive safe and effective vaccines, and that rate is increasing. That means that it is absolutely crucial for Congress to act now to provide enough stimulus and support so that our economy, healthcare facilities, local governments, and schools have the resources needed to survive and begin to recover.

The urgency can't be overstated. Last year, Republicans allowed unemployment benefits to expire and pushed 8 million Americans into poverty. By acting now, we can avert a repeat of this disaster when benefits expire again in just 6 short weeks. We can make substantial improvements to make sure that we have a more inclusive recovery that includes low-wage workers and immigrant families.

Let's pass this bill and truly help the American people.

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