{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403077", "Stivers Secures Wins for OH-15 in Relief/Omnibus Legislation", "2020-12-21", "2020", "2020-12", "Republican", "Senate", "OH", "Steve Stivers", "S001187", "stivers.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Stivers Secures Wins for OH-15 in Relief/Omnibus Legislation \r\n   \r\n    \r\n       \r\n      \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e\r\n      \r\n      \r\n    \r\n    \r\n      \r\n        Washington,\r\n        December 21, 2020\r\n      \r\n       \r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      \r\n      \r\n      WASHINGTON  Today, the House passed the Senate Amendment to H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which makes appropriations for Fiscal Year 21 and provides critical relief as the nation continues to battle the pandemic. Representative Steve Stivers (R-OH) successfully advocated for several key provisions to support the families of Ohio's 15th Congressional District. \r\nFinally, after months of politically-motivated games by members of Democratic leadership, Congress has fulfilled its responsibility to the American people by ensuring that we keep the lights on, and by providing desperately-needed relief as we defeat the coronavirus, Stivers said. This package is a win for the folks in Ohio's 15th Congressional District, from Economic Impact Payments and unemployment assistance, to bipartisan provisions on health care and broadband access, and I am honored to fight for OH-15 every day. \r\nStivers urged adoption of the following provisions that were included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act (list not exhaustive): \r\nSupport for Families\r\n \r\n    The Consolidated Appropriations Act includes $600 in direct payments to individuals making up to $75,000 (or couples making up to $150,000) and $600 for each dependent.\r\n \r\nSmall Businesses: \r\n \r\n    The legislation provides $284.5 billion to reopen and strengthen the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for first and second time borrowers, and creates a streamlined process for loans under $150,000. \r\n    Small businesses cannot operate without reliable broadband access; the Consolidated Appropriations Act includes $732 million for rural broadband, with $635 million for the ReConnect Pilot Program. \r\n \r\nHealth Care:\r\n \r\n    In an effort to give families the flexibility needed to cover health care costs during the pandemic and beyond, the package includes language that allows funds in Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) to roll over into 2021, and from 2021 to 2022  a major change from the current use it-or-lose it rule. \r\n    A longtime supporter of the biomedical research community, particularly in light of the success of Operation Warp Speed, Stivers is pleased to announce the inclusion of $43 billion for the National Institutes of Health and $7.9 billion for the Centers for Disease Control. \r\n    For the 15th Congressional District, community health centers and rural health centers play a vital role in the health of communities, and the Senate Amendment to H.R. 133 includes $1.7 billion and $10 million, respectively, for their operations. \r\n    The legislation continues to support the most vulnerable members of our society during the pandemic by providing additional funding for the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).\r\n \r\nEducation:\r\n \r\n    Since the 115th Congress, Stivers has advocated for employer-sponsored student loan repayment plans to be a tax-free benefit; the Consolidated Appropriations Act extends the initial provision included in the CARES Act, allowing student borrowers to keep more of their paychecks and help businesses bring talented employees back into the workforce. \r\n    Stivers also led the Republican push for robust Head Start funding, resulting in a $135 million increase in annual appropriations, for a total of $10.7 billion; in the past year, millions of dollars have been directed to local programs throughout Ohio. \r\n    The STOP School Violence Act has resulted in over $1 million in funding for local school districts throughout Central Ohio, and this legislation includes an additional $132 million for the programs. \r\n \r\nHousing:\r\n \r\n    Stivers, the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development, and Insurance, has been a strong proponent of rental assistance, as well as relief for small landlords who depend on rental income to support their families, and he is grateful to see the $25 billion in targeted relief included in the bill. \r\n    The Consolidated Appropriations Act also ensures that public housing has the resources and flexibility necessary to operate during the pandemic by including Stivers-cosponsored legislation, the Housing Flexibility Waiver Act. \r\n    The legislation also includes Stivers-supported provisions to aid youth in the foster system; the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act is a bipartisan bill designed to increase access to housing for youth aging out of foster care without increasing federal spending. It also includes $25 million for the Family Unification Program, a national initiative to prevent family separation due to homelessness, as well as homelessness among foster care aging-out youth.\r\n \r\nDefense: \r\n \r\n    In addition to improving the overall readiness of the Armed Forces, the package includes support for the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) Program that is available to foreign allies facing persecution for serving U.S. military forces as interpreters or other support staff.\r\n    It also includes Stivers-authored language that seeks to understand the specific impact that military service has on the health of our female servicemembers. \r\n \r\nThe full text of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 133 can be found here. \r\n\r\n-30-   \r\n\r\n    \r\n  \r\n  \r\n  \r\n    \r\n      f \r\n      t \r\n      #\r\n      e", 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": ["http://stivers.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403077"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.874173128977418, "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"}