releases: https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-votes-pass-omnibus-spending-bill-provides-covid-19-aid-protects
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| https://courtney.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/courtney-votes-pass-omnibus-spending-bill-provides-covid-19-aid-protects | Courtney Votes to Pass Omnibus Spending Bill that Provides COVID-19 Aid, Protects Plum Island and More | 2020-12-21 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | Senate | CT | Joe Courtney | C001069 | courtney.house.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, DC Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02)voted to pass the2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act(H.R.133), a bipartisan omnibus agreementthat includeslong-awaitedCOVID-19relief provisions, andthatwould avoid a looming government shutdown. The agreementincludes relief provisions that the House hasfought for months to secure throughbills like the HEROES Act, includinga new round of forgivable PPP loans, strong support for restaurants and other small businesses, enhanced unemployment insurance, new rental assistance, and much more.H.R. 133 passed the House with strong bipartisan support, and is expected to receive a vote in the Senate later this evening. Theomnibusagreementalsofundsthe federal governmentthroughSeptember 30, 2021. In addition to therestoration of a fully funded second Virginia-class submarine that Courtney has championed this year, thebillcontainsseveral key priorities for eastern Connecticut, includinglanguage that reflects legislation introduced by Courtney,Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY)and otherstosavePlum Islandbyofficiallyrepealingthe lawmandatingitssale.The House has voted forfive years in a rowto repeal the law that mandates the sale ofthe island. Today's omnibusagreementforced the issue in the Senate, andwill protect Plum Islandonce and for all. My office works with families, small businesses, and othersthroughouteastern Connecticut every day who need more help during COVID-19they don't needspecial treatment, theyjustneed Congressto work together and do their job,said Rep. Courtney.Today, the Houseledthe wayonceagain toauthorizenew, bipartisan COVID-19relief. The new omnibus package will be a shot in the arm to the Unemployment Insurance program, will resupply and expand opportunities forrestaurants and other businesses who rely on PPP, EIDL and otherloans, andincludes numerous other crucial assistance like paid sick leave, rental assistance,helpful new tax credits for families and small businesses, and much more. H.R. 133will alsoavoid a costly government shutdown at what is perhaps the worst possible time for it,Courtney continued.Thebillincludes numerous provisions we championed in the Houseon behalf of eastern Connecticutlike our bill to save Plum Island,support for pyrrhotite research and for programs like CDBG that canprovidecrumbling foundations remediation, and full funding to construct the second Virginia-class sub in 2021andit's thanks to the waywe worked across the aisle in the Houseall year longtosecure our prioritiesinthe final package. The Senatehasn'tpassed acomprehensive COVID-19 relief package since March.It's takenninemonthsfor themto come back to the table, and they haven't come nearly as far as the House did when wepassedthe HEROES Act, but this billmakes important investments in eastern Connecticut and itwill provideimmediaterelief to millions of Americanswho need it now.Now that the House has passed the bill, the Senate and President need to move quickly to enact it. H.R. 133includes resources that are urgently needed to address the national response to COVID-19 and to the economic fallout it has caused, suchas: Acceleration ofvaccine distributionand crushing the coronavirusThe bipartisan relief package provides billions in urgently needed funds to accelerate the free and equitable distribution of safe vaccines to as many Americans as possibleas soon as possible, to implement a strong national testing and tracing strategy, and to support our heroic health care workers and providers. Strong support forrestaurants and othersmall businessThe relief package secures critical funding and policy changes to help small businessesand nonprofits recover from the pandemic.H.R. 133includes over $284 billion for first and second forgivable PPP loans, expanded PPP eligibility for nonprofits and local newspapers, TV and radio broadcasters, key modifications to PPP to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits and better assist independent restaurants, and includes $15 billion in dedicated funding for live venues, independent movie theaters, and cultural institutions. The agreement also includes $20 billion for targeted EIDL Grants which are critical to many smaller businesses on Main Street. Rental assistanceThe new relief packagesecures$25 billion in critically needed rental assistance for families struggling to stay in their homes and an extension of the eviction moratorium. Direct payment checksThe bill includesa new round of direct payments worth up to $600per adult and child, also ensuring that mixed-status families receive payments. Strengthened Earned Income Tax Credit & Child Tax CreditThe agreement helps ensure that families who faced unemployment or reduced wages during the pandemic are able to receive a strong tax credit based on their 2019 income, preserving these vital income supports for vulnerable families. Supports paid sick leaveThe agreement provides a tax credit to support employers offering paid sick leave, based on theFamilies FirstActframework. Employee Retention Tax CreditThe agreement extends and improves the Employee Retention Tax Credit to help keep workers injobs during coronavirus closures or reduced revenue. Enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefitsH.R. 133 avertsthe sudden expiration of Unemployment Insurance benefits for millionsof Americans,and addsa $300 per week UI enhancement for Americans out of work. Nutrition assistance for hungry familiesThe agreement provides$13 billion in increased SNAP and child nutrition benefits to help relieve the historic hunger crisis that has left up to 17 million children food insecure. Education and child careThebillprovides $82 billion in fundingto state, school districtsand colleges, including support for HVAC repair and replacement to mitigate virus transmission and reopen classrooms, and $10 billion for child care assistance to help get parents back to work and keep child care providers open. H.R. 133will also fundfederal agencies and programs throughFiscal Year 2021.In addition tothe House's bill to savePlum Island, theagreementalsoincludesCourtney's amendment to supportcontinuedresearch into the Crumbling Foundations crisis, strong support for the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, thefull dollar amount to back Courtney's effort to restore construction of the second Virginia-class submarine in 2021,and more.Key priorities for eastern Connecticut included in the omnibus spending package include: Supporting our region's submarine industrial base The final agreement includes several priorities that Courtney fought to include, including $2.6 billion to fully funding the restoration of a second Virginia-class submarine and matching the both the final NDAA and House-passe defense funding bill, initiating the construction of the first Columbia-class submarine, providing $130 million to support critical submarine suppliers, $20 million to augment submarine workforce development programs, and $14 million to support critical academic research in undersea technologies conducted by institutions like the University of Connecticut. Preservation ofPlum IslandThe omnibus spending agreement includes language that reflects bipartisan legislation co-introduced by Rep. Courtney to preserve Plum Island and officially repeal the law mandating its sale. The House has voted for five consecutiveyears torepeal the law that mandates the sale of Plum Island,as outlined in Courtney'slegislation. Funding for Crumbling Foundations Research The final spending agreementincludes Rep. Courtney's amendment to provide$2 million to support continued researchby the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)into the effects of pyrrhotite on concrete aggregate,the samedollar amountthe House voted to approve in July. National Coast Guard MuseumAdopts Courtney's request for$5 million in federal funds to continue supporting development of exhibits and preservation of artifacts at the future museum in New London. Defense Impact Aid Provides$50 million for the DOD supplemental impact aid program, which provides support to communities like Groton with high proportions of military children in their schools.The DOD Impact Aid program is in addition to the primary Impact Aid program funded through the Department of Education. New Support for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program The bill includes$3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants, $50 million above the 2020 enactedlevel. The President's budget request proposed eliminating this program. Putting an End to Surprise BillingThe package includes bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will end surprise billing for emergency and scheduled care. Water Resources DevelopmentThe agreement includes the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act of 2020, creating good-paying jobs strengthening and improving the vital water infrastructure that Americans rely on while unlocking the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund. HistoricExpansion of Pell GrantsThe package includes the largest expansion of Pell Grant recipients in over a decade, reaching 500,000 new recipients and ensuring more than 1.5 million students will now receive the maximum benefit. ### | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |