Larson Votes for COVID-19 Relief Package

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) voted for the CARES Act to provide COVID-19 relief.

"The country is reaching out to its national leaders for the help they need: more health care funding and relief, and they need it now. While this package isn't perfect, it includes vital health care funding to help our professionals on the frontlines, it direct payments to Americans to help them weather this storm, and it enhances Unemployment Insurance for the millions of Americans who are hurting. We're living through an unprecedented time. If we're asking our health care professionals, first responders, grocery employees, and other essential workers to continue to work — so should Congress. Additional packages are needed to ensure health care workers have the protection they need to do their jobs and our states and local governments have resources they need to help us get through this pandemic. We still have a lot of work to do," said Larson. "Let us hope this non-partisan effort continues to provide the citizens we are sworn to serve with the aid they need."

The CARES Act is a $2 trillion package developed by Congress on a bipartisan basis which will provide critical support to all Americans and small businesses by:

• providing direct cash payments to lower- and middle-class Americans,
• expanding unemployment benefits and eligibility for those who have lost their jobs as a result of the coronavirus,
• instituting incentives to business to keep employees on payroll,
• providing help for small businesses that have shuttered or severely cut back operations,
• establishing a $100 billion fund for hospitals and health care providers so that they are able to treat patients with COVID-19 and at the same time protect our health care workers on the front lines,
• allocating $14.25 billion for Institutions of Higher Learning to invest in technology, provide support grants to students, and respond to the pandemic, as well as $13.5 billion for K-12 education,
• providing critical resources for our first responders and the CT National Guard,
• addressing unique medical needs and resources for Veterans.

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