Underwood Votes to Pass American Rescue Plan and To Deliver Urgently Needed Resources to Illinois Families Facing the Coronavirus Pandemic

Press Release

Today, Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) supported the passage of the American Rescue Plan in the House of Representatives. The American Rescue Plan would deliver urgently needed relief to Americans impacted by the coronavirus pandemic by delivering another round of direct payments to families and individuals, speeding up COVID-19 vaccinations, safely reopening schools, and supporting essential workers and small businesses. The legislation includes a provision introduced and championed by Underwood to lower health care costs for American families.

"Northern Illinois families continue to face considerable hardships due to the coronavirus pandemic; relief is needed now, and it's on the way. This legislation will help speed vaccinations, provide direct payments to families, equip our schools with the resources they need to operate safely and effectively, and help small businesses keep their doors open," said Underwood. "The American Rescue Plan takes bold action to crush the virus and help families' economic well-being, I'm pleased to see its passage in the House and urge my colleagues in the Senate to take immediate action to deliver relief to American families."

The American Rescue Plan would deliver hundreds of millions in federal resources to IL-14 communities, including funds to keep first responders, public health workers, teachers, transit workers, and other essential workers on the job. Additionally, in the 14th District of Illinois, local school districts would receive an estimated $179 Million to serve students and help open a majority of K-8 schools, and local organizations would receive an estimated $17.7 Million in family violence and child abuse prevention funding.

The American Rescue Plan includes key provisions to:

Increase the Direct Payments to Working Families, Bringing Total Relief Payment to $2,000 Per Person
Delivers working families an additional direct payment of $1,400 per person -- bringing their total relief payment to $2,000 per person.
Speed Up Vaccinations, Contain the Virus, and Provide for Schools to Be Safely Reopened
Provides funding to create a national vaccination program and speed up the distribution of vaccines, including partnering with state and local governments and setting up community vaccination centers around the United States.
Provides funding to expand testing and contract tracing programs across the country.
Provides schools with the resources they need to reopen safely.
Deliver Immediate Economic Relief for Americans Hit Hardest
Extends and expands unemployment benefits.
Strengthens and expands federal nutrition programs to address the current hunger crisis.
Provides funding for rental assistance and extending the eviction and foreclosure moratoriums until September 30, 2021.
Provides funding for child care.
Delivers additional economic relief to many families by making the child tax credit fully refundable.
Lowers Health Care Costs
Ensures through COBRA, ACA, and Medicaid the opportunity for unemployed and low-income
Helps Americans to obtain access to affordable health coverage.
Prohibits copayments for medical care for veterans during the pandemic.
Support for Our Communities
Provides crucial resources to save the jobs of first responders, frontline public health workers, teachers, transit workers, and other essential workers that all Americans depend on.
Provides additional assistance to small businesses to help stores on Main Streets around the country to stay open, keep their employees on payroll and continue serving a vital role in their communities.

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