March 7th, 2021 by WCBC Radio

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, issued the following statement after Senate approval of the American Rescue Plan to bring needed relief for families, small businesses and communities across Maryland and America.

“We needed to pass this bill. Marylanders are hurting, and have been for more than a year now. The American Rescue Plan will invest more resources into vaccines, testing, contact tracing, public health, and related programs to contain COVID-19 and finally get control of and bring an end to this public health crisis. The economic and social devastation left by this pandemic will take longer to eradicate. This is where the American Rescue Plan makes strategic investments in lifting up the hardest hit American families and small businesses to help our communities recover from this once in a 100 years crisis. The bill is so comprehensive precisely because we are working to make our nation and our people whole again after a year like none other.

“Emergencies like this are when government can best bring together the resources that will make a positive difference in people’s lives. Among its many provisions, the American Rescue Act provides $1,400 per person in economic relief payments to millions of low- and moderate-income households. It extends a lifeline for those whom the pandemic has left jobless, without health insurance, food insecure, behind on utility bills, rent and mortgage payments, and struggling to make ends meet. This just-passed legislation provides desperately needed resources to state and local governments and our courageous front-line workers who have been working around-the-clock and often place themselves at great personal risk to keep our communities safe over the last year. For our families and students, we deliver the resources needed for adequate childcare and we tackle the infrastructure repairs and upgrades needed to reopen schools safely and supplement online learning programs. The increase to the Child Tax Credit from $2,000 to $3,000 will lift families out of poverty and give them a fighting chance to recover from this pandemic.

“The American Rescue Plan provides billions to address pandemic-related disruptions throughout the food supply chain, including seafood; support small meat and poultry processors; protect food and farm workers; and increase food donations. It will help shuttered small businesses, restaurants, bars and nonprofits survive the worst of COVID-19’s economic impact and get back to doing what they do best.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet, but the American Rescue Plan brings concrete relief to this nation at a time we need it most.”