WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement announcing her opposition to the Heroes Act, a proposed $3 trillion stimulus package the U.S House will vote on later today.

“As the shockwaves of this pandemic continue, I have a responsibility to be honest with the people of Central Virginia, including those who are suffering, sick, losing their jobs, or losing their businesses. In the face of this crisis, they expect our government to work together quickly to provide real relief for those who need it most. Unfortunately, many Members of Congress — including some in my own party — have decided to use this package as an opportunity to make political statements and propose a bill that goes far beyond pandemic relief and has no chance at becoming law, further delaying the help so many need. Therefore, I will respectfully vote against this bill.

“Since this crisis began, I’ve built bipartisan coalitions to advocate for the issues that matter most to the Seventh District — including direct funding for our counties, expanded high-speed internet access for our rural communities, and much-needed relief to our small businesses and individuals. These priorities mark a foundation for the House, Senate, and administration to find common ground. At this time, we must come together to build a targeted, timely relief package that avoids partisan posturing and instead prioritizes combatting our nationwide public health emergency, addressing catastrophic unemployment rates, and protecting the security of the next generation.”

BACKGROUND

Since this pandemic began, Spanberger has been fighting for the priorities of the Seventh District and has worked to build bipartisan coalitions to make progress on these issues, including:

• Providing direct, urgent relief to Central Virginia’s counties and localities. Last month, Spanberger led a 102-Member effort — Republicans and Democrats — calling for the inclusion of relief funding to localities in the next stimulus package, as well as greater flexibility for county governments of all sizes as they address budget shortfalls.

• Expanding high-speed internet access across Central Virginia’s rural communities. Last month, Spanberger led an effort pushing for additional E-rate funding to help bridge the immediacy of the digital divide during this crisis. Additionally, she brought together 70-plus Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle advocating for historic federal investments in our country’s high-speed broadband internet infrastructure in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Fixing issues with federal assistance to Central Virginia small businesses and workers. Last month, Spanberger brought Democrats and Republicans together to push for the elimination of restrictive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness requirements in the next iteration of COVID-19-related emergency legislation. Additionally, she led a bipartisan effort calling on the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Treasury Department to eliminate the PPP’s burdensome 75 percent rule.  

• Improving the nation’s COVID-19 testing strategy. Earlier this week, Spanberger introduced bipartisan legislation to require a comprehensive investigation into the development, regulation, and deployment of COVID-19 diagnostic tests since the pandemic began — and to help plan for future outbreaks.

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