[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 63 (Tuesday, March 31, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH BENEFITS TAX REPEAL ACT OF 2019

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, March 27, 2020

  Ms. ESHOO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security Act.
  This $2 trillion legislation--the largest aid package in American 
history--is shaped to help meet the great challenges we face during 
this crisis.
  As Americans stay home to slow the spread of the deadly coronavirus, 
the economy has ground to a halt. Nearly 3.3 million Americans filed 
unemployment claims last week, an all-time record. Our frontline health 
care workers are working around the clock to care for the tens of 
thousands of Americans who have contracted the virus, requiring a surge 
of hospital beds, masks, personal protective equipment, and ventilators 
to safely care for the sick.
  The Democratic House has led the way to respond to this emergency. At 
the beginning of March, we passed a bipartisan $8.3 billion funding 
package to strengthen our nation's public health response to the 
coronavirus. A week later, we passed another bipartisan bill, the 
Families First Act to provide paid sick leave and nutrition assistance 
to working families, as well as free coronavirus testing to anyone who 
needs it.
  Today's legislation continues Congress's fast-moving bipartisan 
emergency response to the pandemic. Democrats fought successfully to 
flip the original Senate bill from a trickle-down, corporation-first 
approach to a families and workers-first approach.
  The four major pillars of the legislation are: A ``Marshall Plan'' 
for our Health Care System, Expanded Unemployment Benefits and Direct 
Cash Assistance for Americans, Assistance for Small Businesses, Relief 
for state, tribal, and local governments.
  A $150 billion ``Marshall Plan'' for our health systems with funding 
to hospitals and other health providers to buy protective equipment, 
testing supplies, new construction, and to cover unreimbursed costs or 
lost revenue. Funding is also provided to increase the supply of health 
care equipment in the Strategic National Stockpile, implement the 
Defense Production Act, and boost FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund.
  $260 billion for unemployment insurance, providing an additional $600 
weekly for every American receiving unemployment benefits. Many 
Americans will also receive a one-time cash payment of up to $1,200, 
and $500 per child.
  A $350 billion small business rescue plan that provides loan 
forgiveness grants to small businesses to keep their workers on payroll 
and help to pay rent and utility bills. Coverage also goes to 
independent contractors, gig workers, and nonprofits.
  A $150 billion relief fund to assist state, local, and tribal 
governments maintain essential public services for their residents.
  Democrats also successfully prevented secret corporate bailouts. 
Thanks to a strong Democratic effort, corporations that receive aid 
must use it to keep workers on their payrolls. They're prohibited from 
giving bonuses to executives, exercise buyback of stocks, or give 
dividends to shareholders. We launched many attempts to remove the $500 
billion fund under the control of the Secretary of the Treasury, but we 
were unable to do so because of the support of Senator Mitch McConnell 
and the White House. What we were able to secure is an Inspector 
General to oversee the funds to ensure transparency and accountability, 
and a Board to do so as well.
  Finally, the legislation includes $100 billion in emergency 
appropriations for education, childcare, housing, and homelessness, as 
well as grants for states to prepare for the upcoming election in 
November.
  Taken together, this legislation will go a long way to help workers, 
families, small businesses, state and local governments, hospitals, and 
health care workers, and California will receive approximately $15 
billion from the legislation.
  Congress's work to respond to the pandemic is not complete, and the 
House is already working on a fourth package to help our nation during 
these critical times.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in voting for this legislation to come 
to the aid of the American people during this time of crisis. They 
deserve swift action by a united Congress.

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