U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today helped announce a bipartisan, bicameral COVID-19 relief proposal to provide immediate assistance to Central Virginia families, students, healthcare providers, and small businesses amid the ongoing healthcare and economic crisis.

The Problem Solvers Caucus — of which Spanberger is a Member — helped craft the bicameral package. A breakdown of their COVID-19 emergency relief framework can be found here.

Spanberger introduced the package today alongside U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), as well as fellow Problem Solvers Caucus Members Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-05), Tom Reed (R-NY-29), Dusty Johnson (R-SD-AL), Dean Phillips (D-MN-03), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH-16), and Fred Upton (R-MI-04).

“Working families, small businesses, restaurant owners, and our communities need relief — and Congress must act. The failure to provide that relief over the last several months has been shameful, especially given that there are relief provisions and programs that are supported by both parties and both chambers of Congress, and most importantly, needed by the American people and our economy,” said Spanberger. “This bipartisan, bicameral package reflects the priorities of the Seventh District — including funding for unemployment assistance, PPP, food assistance programs and our district’s farmers, rental assistance, broadband internet, and opioid treatment. Today we have demonstrated that we can unite around a common purpose in the face of a national emergency, and I urge my colleagues — as well as House and Senate leadership — to bring this package forward for a vote.”

Click here to watch a recording of today’s press conference.

The bicameral framework allocates $908 billion in total aid — including both new funding and the reallocation of previously appropriated Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding. The framework targets resources to the following key categories:

• State, Local, and Tribal Governments – $160 billion 

• Additional Unemployment Insurance (UI) – $180 billion 

• Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) including restaurants, stages, and deductibility – $288 billion

• CDFI/MDI Community Lender Support – $12 billion

• Transportation (Airlines, Airports, Buses, Transit and Amtrak) – $45 billion

• Vaccine Development and Distribution and Testing and Tracing – $16 billion

• Healthcare Provider Relief Fund – $35 billion 

• Education Funding – $82 billion

• Student Loans – $4 billion

• Housing Assistance (Rental) – $25 billion

• Nutrition/Agriculture – $26 billion

• U.S. Postal Service – $10 billion

• Child Care – $10 billion

• Dedicated Broadband Funding – $10 billion

• Substance Abuse Treatment Funding – $5 billion

BACKGROUND

Spanberger has consistently pushed for a negotiated COVID-19 relief package that can make it to the President’s desk. Earlier this month, she called on the Trump Administration and congressional leadership in both parties to recommit to the passage of a negotiated COVID-19 relief package before the end of the year.

In October 2020, Spanberger voted against the partisan Heroes Act 2.0 and called for leadership in both parties to come to an agreement on COVID-19 relief that can be approved by the U.S. Senate and be signed into law by President Trump. Additionally, she pushed House Democratic leadership to accept a relief offer from U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin that would provide much-needed assistance to working families, coordinated testing efforts, state and local governments, and small businesses.

And in September 2020, Spanberger joined her fellow Members of the Problem Solvers Caucus to unveil the caucus’ bipartisan “March to Common Ground” framework to help break the gridlock on the latest COVID-19 relief package. 

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