Larson Statement on Latest COVID-19 Relief Package

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) released the following statement on the CARES Act, the third COVID-19 relief package.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has changed all our lives. Congress needs to act, and it needs to act now. Most urgently, we need to treat this as a health crisis and infuse our healthcare system with resources to treat patients, increase testing, protect health care workers and develop treatments and a vaccine. Additionally, it is critical the federal government steps up to aid those who have lost their job, have been furloughed, or had hours cut back. We need to get cash to people to help them weather this storm – including retirees, the disabled, and families. We need to help small businesses stay afloat and retain employees. Any taxpayer funding going to bail out distressed industries must come with accountability, transparency, and protections for workers and ensure that federal dollars are not spent on stock buybacks or raises for executives.

"While the bipartisan Senate compromise, the CARES Act provides much needed relief, more must be done. If we ask our frontline health care professionals, grocery clerks, first responders and other essential workers to carry on and do what's in the best interest of the American people, Congress needs to do the same. The time to act is now. We need to provide more relief to our health care heroes and resources to our state and local governments. As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's close advisor Frances Perkins said during the Great Depression, ‘We must devise plans that will not merely alleviate the ills of today, but will prevent as far as is humanly possible to do so, their recurrence in the future.' After this crisis passes, we want to make sure that the right policy remains. I look forward to voting on this critical bill tomorrow and continue working for the people."

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