[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 219 (Thursday, December 24, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            SUPPORT FOR $2,000 PAYMENTS FOR AMERICAN PEOPLE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. KWANZA HALL

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 24, 2020

  Mr. HALL. Madam Speaker, I rise today to address this make-or-break 
moment for the American people. For many months, House Democrats have 
been urging for a stimulus package that is commensurate to the problem 
that Americans face.
  Since the beginning of the pandemic, 315,000 Americans have died, as 
a result of the Administration's mismanagement of the federal response 
to COVID-19. It has especially impacted the African-American community 
and other communities of color. Millions of jobs have been lost, 
countless small businesses have closed, and many others hospitalized. 
For the sake of controlling the virus we have all quarantined, as we 
eagerly await a vaccine. But this administration, aided by 
Congressional Republicans, have failed to deliver.
  In the closing days of this 116th Congress and in the midst of a 
once-in-a-century pandemic, leaders from both parties were able to 
forge a compromise. It was not ideal--but it was something. I was proud 
to support this legislation. I was proud to support the agreement 
because it provided another round of $600 in economic stimulus checks 
and another $300 per-week in unemployment benefits, and it supports 
small businesses, which are the engines of our economy. It also 
provided funds to support local school districts and provides much-
needed funds for coronavirus testing and vaccine distribution. I was 
also proud to help secure this legislation because it provides tens of 
billions in rent relief and an extension of the eviction moratorium.
  Which is why the posturing coming from the current occupant of the 
White House on Tuesday night is so disconcerting.
  On Tuesday night, after many months of sitting on the sidelines, and 
being completely absent from the negotiations that forged this 
compromise, the White House cast severe doubt on the deal we reached.
  Now, the White House is proposing $2,000 payments. But make no 
mistake and as I said on Sunday night, mere moments after the deal was 
announced, the $600 payments were not enough and must only be a down-
payment. The $1200 stimulus checks in the CARES Act from earlier this 
year was an important factor in controlling the economic fallout from 
the initial onset of the coronavirus, and I am disappointed that 
tonight that this Congress will not now act as we did in the Spring. 
The situation is more dire now and calls for more--not less--economic 
stimulus.
  I fully support $2000 payments for our people and for Georgia's Fifth 
Congressional District. I've thought deeply about this and heard from 
so many resilient Georgians. Our people are so resilient but many of 
them are on their last leg. We cannot fail them in this critical hour. 
To delay, or worse, to risk doing nothing would be a grave mistake.
  We must ensure that this recent posturing from the White House does 
not jeopardize the deal we secured on Sunday and which we passed on 
Monday. I fully support the Unanimous Consent request from the Speaker 
today and I urge colleagues in the Congress--on both sides of the aisle 
and on both sides of the Capitol--to support the $2000 payment but 
ensure that the support does not jeopardize that which we secured on 
Monday. Under no circumstance should the President exercise his veto 
power on the funding and prevent many desperate Georgians the relief 
they so desperately need.
  Now is not the time to split hairs. Now is not the time to insist on 
legislative perfection if there even is a such thing.
  We have so much to do to prepare the future but first I we must be 
able to get to the future.

                          ____________________