Wild: Passing the American Rescue Plan Means Saving American Jobs

Rep. Susan Wild spoke on the floor of the House of Representatives last night about the need to pass COVID relief to help save American jobs and get the economy back on track. The bill also includes $140 million in mental health funding for health care workers and public safety officers that Rep. Wild fought for and secured.

"I know that no one in this chamber needs to be reminded that we are here to represent people. Well, in my community and nationwide, many people have been facing unprecedented financial hardship and person struggles for a year now," said Wild.

"Despite that fact, some people in this town will grow louder and louder in saying that the American Rescue Plan is too large. That, after passing tax cuts for the super-rich, we can't afford to come the aid of everyday working people and small business owners."

"The truth is that we are in danger of doing too little, not too much. As Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz wrote: ‘Congress must pass this legislation or risk an anemic and devastatingly incomplete recovery.'"

"After the 2008 financial crash, Washington bailed out the largest financial institutions, without passing a large enough relief package. The resulting recovery was weighted heavily against working people. We cannot make that same mistake today."

"Passing the American Rescue Plan means saving as many as 4 million jobs and returning to full employment as quickly as possible. It means setting up more vaccination sites in our communities. Let's pass this bill this week and get it to the president's desk for signature."

The House is expected to take up a vote on the Senate version of the package this week and send it to President Biden's desk to become law.

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