Washington, D.C – Today, Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) helped pass H. Con. Res. 11, a budget resolution giving Congress an additional legislative tool to pass the urgently-needed American Rescue Plan for COVID-19.

“We need swift federal action to combat this pandemic, which has left a death toll of over 400,000 and staggering unemployment numbers. Families are going hungry, bills are piling up, and temporary job losses are becoming permanent as this crisis drags on,” said Congresswoman Ross. “Small businesses that have been around for decades are struggling to survive.

“The time for decisive action is now. We need to invest in vaccine distribution to get the virus under control, safely reopen schools, and support North Carolina small businesses and restaurants that form the pillars of our local communities. We must act, and if we cannot do it on a bipartisan basis, we will use the budget resolution to ensure that working families, communities, and small businesses do not continue to suffer needlessly when we have the tools available to help.”

This budget resolution gives Congress an additional tool, budget reconciliation, to pass the COVID-19 relief legislation that constitutes President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. The use of reconciliation does not preclude reaching a bipartisan agreement on a relief package, but it does ensure that Congress can move forward and meet the country’s needs.

Congresswoman Ross previously applauded the Biden Rescue Plan. The $1.9 trillion package includes $160 billion to combat the virus, including funding to speed up the distribution of vaccines and expand testing and contact tracing. The plan also creates a $400 weekly federal unemployment benefit and provides $350 billion for our state and local governments.

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