Photo from Voice of America
With the prospects of passing the COVID 19 relief legislation (the American Rescue Act) with large bipartisan support apparently dissipating, Vice President Kamala Harris has been dispatched to local media outlets in Arizona and West Virginia to consolidate support from Democratic Senators Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Kelly, and Joe Manchin for the $1.9 trillion measure in case Democrats have to resort to utilizing the budget reconciliation process to secure passage of major portions of the bill.
Both Sinema and Manchin have already publicly expressed their desires to maintain the Senate filibuster for now.
Making them, Kelly and possibly Senators John Hickenlooper and Angus King happy are probably essential to pushing vital legislation through the reconciliation process.
To AZ Central, Vice President Harris remarked that:
"...What we are dealing with in our country, and as you have pointed out, is that where there is a failure, we cannot afford to give up. And also, you have rightly pointed out we can actually do something about it. We can still get this done. We can still do it. And that's what I want to focus on today, which is our American Rescue Plan."
"We now know that the December relief effort was too little, too late, and not nearly enough. Just ask the child still learning remotely, and I know of which there are many children in Arizona, and the parents who are struggling to help them learn remotely. Look at the parents standing in food lines, parked for hours in food lines. Or anyone who has lost someone to COVID."
"We are looking at a dire, a painful time in our country where there has been extreme loss, loss of life, loss of normalcy. Folks deserve to have their government in a moment of crisis such as this step up and rescue those who are in many ways thinking and (inaudible) and give them the support they need..."
"...The American Rescue Plan is about saving our country with speed and at scale. It would get Americans vaccinated. It would get schools to reopen safely. It would get small businesses the relief they need and in particular through grants and sometimes loans. It would give them an additional $1,400 to families on top of the previous $600 check for a total of $2,000 per family. But we must also give relief to tribal communities, like those in Arizona, to help frontline workers and other public servants on the job..."
"...This is not a partisan issue. The range of support includes the United States Chamber of Commerce, the (International Monetary Fund) and Moody's, and so we're urging all members of Congress, regardless of their party, to support this..."
"...We have big problems right now, but we also have the ability to be bold with big solutions..."
The Vice President gave a similar pitch in an interview with West Virginia media, pointing out that:
“To your point in West Virginia, one in seven families is describing their household as being hungry, one in six can’t pay their rent, and one in four small businesses are closing permanently or have already closed, so it’s a big issue in West Virginia and across the country. And that’s why the president and I are offering the American Rescue Plan.”
The American Rescue Act includes provisions for:
- Funding vaccination production and distribution.
- Helping schools reopen.
- Direct cash payments to qualifying Americans.
- Expanded unemployment.
- Expanded child care and earned income tax credits.
- Aid to state and local governments.
- Fighting food insecurity.
- An increase in the federal minimum wage.
While arguments can probably be made to make the direct cash payments targeted more to those in need, that and the other provisions in the American Rescue Act are vitally necessary to help the people withstand the pandemic and lay a foundation for recovery (and subsequent legislation) after mostly everyone is vaccinated by the later summer/early fall.
Republicans should realize this.
As White House Press Secretary Jennifer Psaki said in her January 29, 2021 Press Briefing, there is conservative support outside Congress for this measure.
Former Trump Economic Advisor Kevin Hassett has called for Republicans to vote for the bill.
So does the United States Chamber of Commerce who released this January 14, 2021 statement:
“The U.S. Chamber of Commerce welcomes the introduction of President-elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan. Specifically, we applaud the President-elect’s focus on vaccinations and on economic sectors and families that continue to suffer as the pandemic rages on. We must defeat COVID before we can restore our economy and that requires turbocharging our vaccination efforts. We look forward to working with the new administration and Congress on the details and in ensuring that any additional economic assistance is timely, targeted, and temporary.”
Ms. Psaki also cited a Monmouth Poll that showed 74 percent of the American People supporting the Biden/Harris policies.
At a meeting with his Economic team in the Oval Office earlier this morning (January 29, 2021,) President Biden urged quick passage of the American Rescue Act, saying:
“The choice couldn’t be clearer. We have learned from past crises the risk is not doing too much. The risk is not doing enough. And this is the time to act now...We need to make these investments so the economy can grow. Investments now will help the economy grow. It will not, in fact, put a drag on the economy...And it’s not just me saying that. It’s a consensus among the vast majority of economists in the country, right, left and center.”
Hopefully, Senators Sinema, Kelly, Manchin, Hickenlooper, and King understand that and will support the American Rescue Act if the budget reconciliation process is necessary.
Hopefully.
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