U.S. Rep Annie Kuster

CONCORD – U.S. Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement on President-elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan to crush the COVID-19 pandemic, deliver immediate relief to American families, and provide additional funding for struggling communities. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee, Rep. Kuster has advocated for increased production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines since early 2020.

“President-elect Biden’s comprehensive plan to get America through the COVID-19 public health crisis and the devastating economic crisis the virus has caused will instill hope in every American. As the United States passes the grim, heartbreaking milestone of over 385,000 deaths from COVID-19, it’s crucial that we continue taking necessary precautions to prevent the spread and that everyone take the vaccine when it’s available to them.

“For a year, in the midst of a pandemic, we have endured a presidential administration with no plan for testing, contact tracing, or to get vaccines administered to people. President-elect Biden’s comprehensive American Rescue Plan outlines specific public health and economic policies that will help to address the COVID-19 pandemic and stands in stark contrast to the lack of these efforts and planning in the previous administration.

“I’m pleased to see many of the measures I have been advocating for since last spring are included in the President-elect’s American Rescue Plan, and I look forward to working with the Biden-Harris Administration from my seat on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This legislative package includes a number of priorities that I advocated for in March 2020 within my Roadmap to Recovery, and prioritizes economic and health initiatives that I supported in the HEROES Act which passed the House in May 2020.”

The American Rescue Plan includes the following Kuster-backed priorities to ramp up vaccine production and administration, and restore economic confidence:

Enhance Vaccine Production and Administration to All Americans: The American Rescue Plan importantly prioritizes the dire need to ramp up the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, as the previous administration has woefully failed to coordinate a national strategy. The president-elect’s proposal will invest $20 billion in a national vaccination program in partnership with states, localities, Tribes and territories. This will include launching community vaccination centers around the country and deploying mobile vaccination units to hard-to-reach areas. Rep. Kuster sponsored critical legislation last Congress to provide additional authority to the federal government to mass produce and administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

Additional Economic Payments to Taxpayers: Provides an additional $1,400 in direct payments to eligible recipients, on top of the $600 benefit the House passed in December 2020. Rep. Kuster recently voted in support of administering $2,000 checks to Granite State households in December 2020.

Continued Support for Unemployed Granite Staters: The Biden-Harris stimulus plan would provide support to unemployed workers by extending through September 2021 a supplemental $400/week insurance program to help workers get back on their feet. Rep. Kuster helped introduce legislation last Congress that would extend federal unemployment compensation to prevent millions of Americans from falling into poverty.

Critical Fiscal Relief to State and Local Governments: The Biden-Harris proposal would provide critical assistance to state, county and municipal governments by providing $350 billion to keep first responders and public employees on the job. Rep. Kuster has long advocated for the need to provide additional federal resources to cash-strapped states and towns that have experienced depressed revenues as a result of the economic downturn.

Mobilize a Public Health Jobs Program to Support COVID-19 Response: The President-elect’s plan includes an historic investment in expanding the public health workforce. This proposal will fund 100,000 public health workers, nearly tripling the country’s community health roles. Rep. Kuster has been a strong proponent of bolstering our public health workforce and supported the Community Immunity during COVID-19 Act to provide robust funding to develop, scale, and evaluate local initiatives to boost vaccination rates during this pandemic.

Establish $25 Billion Emergency Stabilization Fund for Child Care Providers: This Emergency Stabilization Fund will help hard-hit child care providers that are in danger of closing and provide support to nearly half of all child care providers. It will also assist those that have had to shut down to meet their financial obligations during the pandemic so that they can reopen. Rep. Kuster has fought tirelessly to support child care providers in New Hampshire and voted to support legislation in 2020 that would create the framework for the Stabilization Fund.