Chairman Scott Statement on House Passage of Interim COVID-19 Response Bill
WASHINGTON – Today Chairman Robert C. “Bobby” Scott issued the following statement after the House passed the Senate’s interim funding package in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The interim funding legislation passed by the House today will provide urgent relief to vulnerable small businesses and their workers. Thanks to the efforts of Democratic leadership, this funding package sets aside $60 billion for small lenders, such as community-based banks and credit unions, so that small businesses without banking relationships can still access much-needed relief funds.
“The proposal also now includes $75 billion for struggling hospitals and an additional $25 billion to bolster testing capacity, which remains one of the biggest barriers to economic recovery.
“While these provisions help meet some important and immediate needs, this interim package is woefully inadequate compared to the scale of this crisis. State and local governments are facing devastating budget shortfalls that will severely erode critical community-based services and public education. Workers are getting sick and dying because there is no enforceable workplace safety standard to protect them against COVID-19 infections, underserved students who do not have access to the internet or educational technology are at risk of falling even further behind their peers, and people across the country remain vulnerable to costly medical bills for COVID-19 treatment.
“The idea that Congress should pause before passing additional COVID-19 response legislation is dangerous and does not reflect the unprecedented challenges facing many communities across the country. We must immediately move forward on the next relief package. I commend Speaker Pelosi’s determination to address the pandemic and will continue working with my colleagues to ensure workers, students, and families can access support that reflects the scale of this crisis.”
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