Setting Forth the Congressional Budget for the United States Government

Floor Speech

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Ms. ROSEN. Mr. President, the American people need our help, and they need it now. Far too many families are struggling just to get by.

My home State of Nevada has been hit especially hard during this pandemic. Before COVID, Nevada was stable, and Nevada was thriving, but since the pandemic began, our industries--especially our travel and tourism, key economic pillars of our State--were devastated. In fact, countless Nevada businesses have struggled, and unfortunately many have had to close their doors permanently. This is forcing Nevadans out of work and putting their financial well-being in jeopardy. Now, during this public health and economic crisis, Nevada is close to having the highest rate of unemployment in the Nation.

Here in Congress, we have passed stopgap packages to try to help all those who are facing these tough times. The relief measures we have delivered for the American people have been a good start, but they are not enough to safely see our country through this pandemic.

Small business owners risk losing their businesses if they cannot access the full loans and grants that Congress promised them but that the last administration failed to deliver. Our State and local governments have exhausted their budgets responding to this public health crisis, and as a result, they face looming cuts to essential support and services that our communities are relying on.

This isn't something that is happening just in my State; this is the common experience across our country. The people of Nevada, the American people--they are desperately calling out for a lifeline, and we must deliver a real one and as soon as possible.

COVID-19 is a global public health emergency, and it requires the full force of the U.S. Government. We must act boldly and efficiently as we work to overcome this crisis and meet the needs of this moment.

We need real relief--real relief fo families who are struggling to pay their bills, for those who are struggling to afford basic necessities, for parents who are struggling just to feed their kids.

We need real relief. We need real relief for our travel and tourism industries. We need to ensure that they can make it through this turbulent time. We need a framework for ensuring that health and safety standards are met, and we need a path toward restoring consumer confidence.

We need real relief--real relief for our small businesses, including tax credits to help businesses get by and full EIDL loans and grants without arbitrary caps.

We need real relief--real relief for our workers, including increased unemployment benefits and proper IT infrastructure to get those benefits out faster to Americans in need.

We need real relief--real relief for State and local governments so that they can continue working tirelessly to save the lives of Americans in every corner of our Nation, so that they can continue testing and tracing in our communities, so that they can continue to provide childcare for essential workers, and so that they continue to provide PPE and things to limit the spread of COVID-19.

We need real relief--real relief that supports a greater vaccine distribution and accelerates vaccine deployment, including to our communities of color and rural areas where healthcare access is too frequently a challenge.

Senator Cortez Masto and I have been working with our Governor. We have been working with our Governor and working with all of our local governments to get more shots in arms across the State of Nevada, but we need more.

When so many in our country are hurting and they are struggling, we must ask ourselves why American families, why members of our communities, why would they deserve any less? It is time for a comprehensive relief package that truly provides relief to the American people.

I urge all of my colleagues to join me in this effort to help see our Nation through this challenge. Lives are depending on us. Our States are counting on us. The whole country is looking to us--looking to us to show leadership, to stand up, to save lives and livelihoods. So let's ensure that we don't let them down. Let's pass that real relief, thoughtful and targeted relief, and do it now.

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