NEW YORK – Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (NY-12) on February 20 joined with local elected officials to applaud the $70+ billion in COVID relief expected for New York State, its communities, and families as part of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan. 

“Having been the epicenter of the pandemic in the early months, our city and state are in desperate need for federal aid and relief – and I’m proud to report that the COVID relief bill that the House will pass next week provides just that,” said Maloney. “This bill, the embodiment of President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, is projected to provide more than $70 billion dollars to New York State, our communities, and our families – and this is just the beginning. This is the rescue plan – the life preserver we need to stay above water as we fight this virus. Next up, is the recovery plan which will enable us to build back better. Hope and help are on the way."

The House-drafted package includes rent relief, small business assistance, aid for the MTA, direct payments to families, and extended unemployment assistance. The portion of the package passed out of the Congresswoman’s Oversight Committee on Friday, February 12, provides $350 billion for states, localities, Tribes, and territories; $570 million for emergency leave for federal and postal workers; and $117 million for oversight entities to promote transparency and accountability of all federal coronavirus relief funds. With this bill, New York and its localities can expect a total of $23.3 billion in aid, with the State receiving an estimated $12.7 billion in direct aid and NYC an estimated $5.6 billion.

The House of Representatives is expected to vote on final passage of the package this coming week.

 “The actions we take – or fail to take – in the next few months will determine the landscape of our city for years, if not decades, to come. The future of our public transit system, small business community, tenant population, and so much more is on the line. I’m so grateful to see this robust aid package advance through Congress, and I thank Representative Maloney and her partners in the New York delegation for fighting to secure the funding needed to keep this city on its feet after the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. 

“Queens was among the hardest hit by COVID-19 in the country,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “As such, it deserves its fair share of the federal funds being made available by Congress. We thank Congresswoman Maloney for her strong advocacy for Queens on this issue and hope the final version of the bill treats Queens fairly by providing the borough with a substantial share of those funds.”