NEW YORK – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) released the following statement after President-elect Joe Biden announced his new American Rescue Plan on January 14.

“President-elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan is the urgent, bold action we need to address the health and economic crises wrought by COVID-19. This plan will fund vaccinations, contain the virus, support struggling communities, and deliver direct, immediate relief to those hit hardest by the pandemic.

“To help us contain COVID-19 and safely reopen schools, this plan will set up a national vaccination program, scale up testing and tracing, provide paid sick leave, and make targeted investments so that teachers and students can safely return to classrooms within the first 100 days of the Biden presidency.

“Important especially to our city’s recovery is $20 billion to help public transit agencies like the MTA, the extension and expansion of pandemic unemployment insurance, proposed partnership with restaurants to keep families fed and restaurants open, and $35 billion in rental, homelessness, and utility assistance.

“For hardworking families in New York and across the country, the Biden package will give working families a $1,400 per-person check – delivering the $2,000 we’ve been fighting for in Congress, extend the 15% SNAP benefit increase, expand childcare assistance, and increase the Child Tax Credit.

“And for the lifeblood of New York City – small businesses, the American Rescue Plan would provide grants to more than 1 million of the hardest hit small businesses and leverage $175B in additional lending and investment.

“This ambitious $1.9T plan is a way to move us forward – by providing the immediate relief we need now and setting us on a course to build back better, and I look forward to working with President Biden to make it happen.”