March 14, 2020. That was the day – one year ago – when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in our Congressional District. Now, that number has surpassed 101,000.
Throughout our nation, the COVID-19 pandemic has spared no one. From those closest to us falling ill to shuttered businesses and closed schools, every one of us has been touched by this virus. Families and communities of all sizes have faced an incredible amount of grief, and we continue to struggle to navigate these unprecedented challenges.
But as our nation begins to emerge from this dark winter, the American Rescue Plan is our guiding light.
This big, bold package is just what the doctor ordered – vaccine shots in arms, money in taxpayers’ pockets, our children soon to be back in school and Americans back to work.
It’s an opportunity to deliver the help Illinoisans need to defeat the COVID-19 virus and build our economy – our nation – back better than before. I was proud to cast my vote in favor of this historic legislation and am thrilled to see it signed into law this week.
Let’s talk about what’s in the American Rescue Plan for you and your family:
Too many have suffered devastating economic hardships during the past year. While America has lost more than 10 million jobs, millions of workers were also forced into reduced hours, furloughs and temporary layoffs. Making ends meet became harder and harder. The American Rescue Plan provides another round of economic relief in the form of $1,400 checks for individuals earning less than $75,000 and families earning less than $150,000.
Small businesses are the backbone of our economy. In the 14 counties in our Congressional District, more than 10,000 businesses have applied for federal loans and grants to keep their doors open, and the funding they received has supported nearly 85,000 jobs. The American Rescue Plan will replenish those critical support programs through a $7.25 billion investment and expand eligibility to ensure that more small businesses can get the help they need.
But it’s not enough – our working parents also need support. Since February of last year, more than 2.3 million women have left the American workforce, many to take on full-time caregiving as child care sites have closed their doors. It hurts women, our families and our economy. That’s why the American Rescue Plan provides desperately needed support for child care providers through a $39 billion investment and helps make sure families can afford to go back to work through historic child tax credits.
This package also helps get our kids back into school full time. In our corner of Illinois, 113,000 children are still in school remotely or utilizing blended learning. Kids learn best in the classroom, and it’s time for us to reopen ours. The American Rescue Plan will make sure our schools have the resources they need to reopen safely with a $122 billion investment.
This transformative package will also cut child poverty in half. Let that sink in: This package will lift up half of the children currently living in poverty in our nation. In our region, that means 23,000 children will live better and healthier lives.
- The American Rescue Plan is transformative – and this is just the beginning: Nearly $400 million in help for the counties, cities and small towns that I serve in central and northwestern Illinois. That will make sure critical services like garbage collection, police and fire are kept up.
- A significant investment - $16 billion – to help our farmers and producers and nearly $4 billion to help feed hungry Americans through food banks like our own Northern Illinois Food Bank, River Bend Food Bank and Peoria Area Food Bank.
And sweeping measures to help mobilize 100,000 health care workers, ramp up testing and support community vaccination sites.
For months, I’ve said that help is on the way. With this week’s actions in Congress and the White House, help is here.
Congresswoman Cheri Bustos, now in her fifth term, is a member of House Democratic leadership and represents the 17th District of Illinois, which includes the Sauk Valley, Rockford, the Quad-Cities, Peoria and hundreds of communities in between.