American Rescue Plan Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that the Senate has passed and the House is now expected to re-pass the ``American Rescue Plan Act of 2021'' (H.R. 1319), for President Biden to sign into law.
This critical legislation provides federal relief totaling more than $218 billion to state governments and more than $140 billion to county and municipal governments. State and local governments will use this federal relief to continue providing essential services to the American public. With this soon-to-be law, Congress has answered President Biden's call to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, rebuild our economy, and help Americans return to normal life once we have widespread vaccination.
While this soon-to-be law does not include my ``Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act'' (H.R. 535), I hope that states will use the flexibility provided under the ``American Rescue Plan Act'' to pass though some federal relief to the 2,700 special districts in California and 30,000 special districts nationwide providing essential public services cities and counties do not provide to residents. Those services include first responders, policing, firefighting, public health, and more, making special districts indeed critical to the communities they serve. Special districts must now make their case directly to each state's Governor.
I want to thank my colleagues who cosponsored H.R. 535 and U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) for sponsoring the companion legislation.
I plan to continue working to ensure that special districts can access the Federal Reserve's Municipal Liquidity Facility in the future, as called for in my ``Special Districts Provide Essential Services Act.'' Like states, counties, and cities, many special districts serve large populations and have the legal authority to issue short-term tax and revenue anticipation notes. However, special districts are not currently guaranteed access to the Municipal Liquidity Facility, even to offset revenue shortfalls caused by this ongoing pandemic or similar emergencies.
Congress must ensure that local governments including special districts have the federal support needed to deliver crucial quality- of-life services to communities during this global pandemic and future national emergencies.
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