{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-votes-to-pass-year-end-coronavirus-relief-and-government-funding-package", "Young Votes to Pass Year-End Coronavirus Relief and Government Funding Package", "2020-12-22", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "House", "IN", "Todd Young", "Y000064", "www.young.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "December 22, 2020\n\t\t\t Young Votes to Pass Year-End Coronavirus Relief and Government Funding Package \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tWASHINGTONToday, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) voted in favor of H.R. 133, theConsolidated Appropriations Act 2021, a comprehensive year-end bill that includes coronavirus relief and funding for the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2021. The legislativepackage passed the Senate on a92-6 vote and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.\r\n\r\nStruggling Hoosier businesses, communities, frontline workers, and families have waited too long for this critically needed coronavirus relief package. While I wish we had reached agreement months ago, I'm glad this aid will finally be delivered to the American people, particularly to ensure the safe and efficient distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines that will be essential for overcoming this pandemic,said Senator Young.This package provides assistance to essential workers, small businesses, and unemployed Americans, and provides additional resources for testing and vaccinations. Italso funds the federal government, one of Congress' main responsibilities, and contains several of my priorities to bolster Indiana's health and economic security.\r\n\r\nThe bill rescinds $429 billion in unusedCARES Actfunds to help pay for the additional coronavirus relief measures. In addition to coronavirus relief and all 12 appropriations bills, it also includes a three-year extension for miscellaneous expiring health programs and extensions of varying lengths for expiring tax provisions, reauthorization of the Water Resources Development Act, the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021, and the Energy Act of 2020.\r\n\r\nCoronavirus relief highlights include:\r\n \r\n$325 billion for small business relief, including $284 billion for Paycheck Protection Program Second Draw Loans and enhanced relief for hard-hit industries like restaurants and venues.\r\n\r\nPPP Second Draw incorporates a number of tenets from Senator Young'sRESTART Act, including expansion of the number of allowable and forgivable costs to provide businesses with more flexibility and a requirement that businesses demonstrate need by meeting a 25 percent or more revenue decline test.\r\n\r\n\r\nClarifies Congressional intent that business expenses paid using forgiven PPP funds are tax deductible, avoiding a significant unexpected burden on already struggling small businesses.\r\n\r\nSenator Young is a cosponsor of S., 3612,Small Business Expense Protection Act, and advocated for this clarification.\r\n\r\n\r\n$25 billion for rental assistance for struggling renters and a one month extension of the CDC eviction moratorium.\r\nExtends Federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance benefit of $300/week through March 14, 2021.\r\nDirect payment of $600 to individuals and qualified child dependents (up to $2,400 for a family of four).\r\n$10 billion for child care, including direct support for child care providers for fixed costs and operation expenses, to help ensure working parents have access to child care so they can work or return to work.\r\n\r\nSenator Young cosponsored S. 4221, theBack to Work Child Care Grants Actand signed a letter requesting support for child care in COVID-19 relief.\r\n\r\n\r\n$29 billion for vaccine development and distribution.\r\n$22 billion for COVID-19 testing and related activities by states.\r\n$3 billion for the health care Provider Relief Fund.\r\n$250 million in funding for the FCC's COVID-19 Telehealth Program.\r\n$82 billion for education, including $54.3 billion for K-12 schools and $22.7 billion for higher education.\r\nNearly $11.2 billion for COVID-related agriculture assistance, specifically allowing the Secretary to make payments to producers for losses incurred from depopulation of livestock and poultry due to processing disruptions.\r\n\r\nSenator Young cosponsored S. 4156,RELIEF for Producers Act.\r\n\r\n\r\n$45 billion for transportation assistance related to COVID-19 impacts.\r\n\r\nIncludes $16 billion to extend the Aviation Workers Payroll Support Program which Senator Young has advocated for since August.\r\n\r\n\r\nExtends and enhances the Employee Retention Tax Credit through June 30, 2021.\r\n12-month extension of the deadline to expend state and local funds from the Coronavirus Relief Fund to allow more flexibility to stretch out already obligated CARES funds.\r\n \r\n\r\nOther Young-led priorities in the bill:\r\n\r\nWater Resources Development Act Reauthorization:Important reauthorization forIndiana's inland waterways and the Great Lakes, includingimprovements and fundingof the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund which is utilizedforGreat Lakes navigation projects. Senator Young is a cosponsor of S. 4654, theGreat Lakes Navigation Act, which would accomplish similar goals.\r\n\r\nImprovement to Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Rate:This package includes a key provision fromSenator Young'sAffordable Housing Credit Improvement Actto strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and improve life outcomes for Hoosiers. Estimates show that inclusion of the 4percentcredit stabilization provision will produce130,000 housing units over the next ten years and generate 162,500 jobs. This key provision willfurther leverage the private sector to increase the stock of affordable housing for families in urban and rural communities and tackle the housing affordability crisis head on.\r\n\r\nPermanent Extension ofCraft Beverage Excise TaxRates:The package permanently extends provisions from theTax Cuts and Jobs Actthat reduced certain excise tax rates on beer, wine, and distilled spirits in order to ease the burden on smaller breweries, distilleries, and vineyards. Senator Young cosponsored S. 362, theCraft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, andsigned a letterto Senate leaders in support of making these rates permanent. \r\n\r\nExtension of Student Loan Payment Incentive for Employers:Extends for five years the allowance for employers to provide student loan repayment benefits (up to $5,250 annually) to employees on a tax-free basis. Senator Young is a an original cosponsor of S. 460, theEmployer Participation in Repayment Act.\r\n\r\nProviding Relief to Medicare Providers:Senator Young helped to secure provisions that would partially alleviate Medicare reimbursement cuts to specialists and other providers. This includes a payment increase to all Medicare providers in the physician fee schedule for 2021 as many of these providers continue to be on the front line of the pandemic.\r\n\r\nProviding Mental Health Services to Seniors Through Telehealth:Senator Young helped to secure a provision similar to hisMental and Behavioral Health Connectivity Actthat allows Medicare beneficiaries to access mental health services via telehealth from the comfort of their homes.\r\n\r\nAddressing Social Determinants of Health:Senator Young secured provisions ofhis legislationto empower states and local governments to improve health outcomes by addressing the economic and social conditions in which people live, learn, work, and play.Theprovisionwouldhelp states and localities to develop innovative strategies to address social determinants in their communities.\r\n\r\nProtecting Seniors fromMedicare Late Enrollment Penalties:Senator Young secured a provision to simplify complex Medicare enrollment rules. Senator Young'sBeneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification (BENES) Acteliminates needless gaps in health care coverage and helps prevent lifetime, late-enrollment penalties.The Medicare Home Health Flexibility Act,legislation that ensures our seniors are quickly and comprehensively assessed in their homes in order to receive proper home health treatment,wasalsosecured by Senator Young.\r\n\r\nEnding Surprise Medical Bills:Alongside members of the bipartisan Senate Working Group, Senator Young helped secure a provision to protect patients from surprise medical bills. Senator Young'sSTOP Surprise Medical Bills Actprotects families from financial strain by establishing a process that keeps patients out of these billing disputes and enables them to focus on their health rather than unexpected medical bills.\r\n\r\nAddressing the High Cost of Prescription Drugs:Senator Young secured a provision to improve the accuracy of Medicare's payments and protect beneficiaries and taxpayers from paying higher prescription drug prices. Senator Young'sStrengthening Average Sales Price Reporting Act of 2019requires all manufacturers of drugs, biologicals, and biosimiliars paid under Medicare to report to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services their average sales price information.\r\n\r\nExpanding Coverage for Seniors' Kidney Transplant Drugs:Senator Young worked to securehis legislationto provide seniors who received kidney transplants with extended Medicare Part B to help cover lifesaving medication. This would ensure that individuals who received a kidney transplant paid for by Medicare do not have to worry about coverage for medications to protect their transplant.\r\n\r\nHigher Education Provisions:Senator Young supported multiple provisions included in the final bill, including FAFSA simplification, expansion of financial aid assistance to students in need, and restoration of Pell grants to the Second Chance population.\r\n\r\nIn the Appropriations divisions of the bill, Senator Young supported funding for the following items:\r\n \r\nFederal research into congenital heart defects, which are the most common and deadliest form of birth defects. This funding will help to further implement the screening surveillance, research, and awareness activities authorized bythe Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act, of which Senator Young is a champion.\r\nKidneyX, a public-private partnership to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases.\r\n$173 million for FAA's Contract Tower Program.\r\n$2 billion for DOT's Capital Investment Grants.\r\nIncrease of $50 million for the procurement of sonobuoysmanufactured by Ultra Electronics  USSI in Columbia City, Indiana.\r\nIncrease of $47 million for the procurement of Advanced Medium Mobile Power Sources (AMMPS) Generators manufactured by Cummins in Columbus, Indiana.\r\nIncrease of $10 million for the Steel Performance Initiative supporting the work of Harrison Steel in Attica, Indiana.\r\nIncrease of $8.2 million for Army research of electric transmissions in armored combat vehicles, which supports the innovative work being accomplished by Allison Transmission in Indianapolis.\r\n$330 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.\r\nFunding for Adult Education State Grant Program for literacy, numeracy, and digital education programs for adults without high school degrees.\r\n$90 million in grants for construction of states' veterans homes.\r\n$1.9 billion to support programs to reduce veteran homelessness, including: o$420 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families o$270 million for Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program.\r\n \r\n \r\nRobust funding for maternal and child health and nutrition assistance.\r\n \r\n\r\n###", 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.young.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/young-votes-to-pass-year-end-coronavirus-relief-and-government-funding-package"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8956193923950195, "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"}