{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-passage-of-coronavirus-relief-package", "Senator Markey Statement on Passage of Coronavirus Relief PackageRead More", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Democrat", "House", "MA", "Edward Markey", "M000133", "www.markey.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington (December 21, 2020) \r\nSenator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement upon\r\npassage of a $900 billion bipartisan coronavirus relief package.   Workers, small businesses, and\r\nfamilies may be getting an ounce of relief in this coronavirus package, but\r\nthey need a ton more.With millions literally lining up in bread lines,\r\nthis relief package isn't even half a loaf. It is a terrible day in Congress\r\nthat we see the tragedy of hunger, unemployment, illness, and death, but Republican\r\ncruelty and partisanship overrule compassion and commonsense. This\r\npackagemust be only the beginning of our work to secure trillions more in\r\naid for the American people. They deserve so much more than this.  A one-time direct cash payment,\r\nas well as extensions of vital nutrition funding and a national eviction\r\nmoratorium will provide desperately-needed help during these darkest and\r\ncoldest winter months. Massachusetts small businesses will receive another\r\nround of payroll assistance. And the extension of enhanced unemployment\r\nbenefits for our gig workers and independent contractors  a program I fought\r\nto create at the beginning of the pandemic  will provide some temporary\r\nrelief.   But expanding Pell Grants is\r\nnot the kind of relief that cancellation of student debt would provide. A\r\nbusiness tax credit is not the full paid sick time that all Americans deserve.\r\nAs utility bills pile up, legislation that does not prevent the cruel shut-off\r\nof gas, electric, or water will lead to massive, unabated energy\r\ndebt.Broadband funding that ignores the successful E-rate  a proven\r\nprogram that is ready to connect vulnerable students now to the internet  will\r\ndo little to close the homework gap'. Meanwhile,states and cities\r\ncontinue to be punished by Senate Republicans who refuse to provide them aid as\r\nthey are left to bear the economic burden resulting from the Trump\r\nadministration's abdication of leadership during the pandemic.   This deal is better than the\r\nRepublican alternative of nothing, but it must only be the beginning  a down\r\npayment on what is to come. This cannot be the last time that Congress speaks\r\non this issue.  This January will mark the end\r\nof the Trump-McConnell era. With the Biden-Harris era set to begin, we must\r\nmakecomprehensive economic relief a Day One priority for the new Biden\r\nadministration. I pledge my commitment to working with President Biden to\r\npass the largest and most just relief package in our country's history.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-statement-on-passage-of-coronavirus-relief-package"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.370418980717659, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}