[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 17, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1578-S1579]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021

  Mr. SCHUMER. Now on the American Rescue Plan, I would like to 
continue shining a spotlight on different aspects of ARP. The 
legislation helped so many people and so much of the country, it is 
easy to forget many crucial parts of the bill. So later today, I will 
be joining my dear friend Representative Velazquez from New York to 
talk about how the American Rescue Plan helps Puerto Rico, which is too 
often an afterthought in Federal legislation.
  The American Rescue Plan will do three historic things for the people 
of Puerto Rico, American citizens all.
  First, it will deliver Federal dollars to the island's earned income 
tax credit for low-wage workers for the first time ever.

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  Second, it will expand eligibility for residents to claim the child 
tax credit. Prior to the ARP, only families with three or more children 
in Puerto Rico could claim the child tax credit. Why those American 
citizens were treated differently than all the others was beyond me and 
strikes me as nasty. But now every family can.
  Third, the ARP bill will add $1 billion--$1 billion--in food 
assistance. Residents of American territories don't receive traditional 
food assistance programs like those in the United States, such as the 
SNAP program, but instead their governments receive block grants that 
have been capped by the Federal Government.
  The American Rescue Plan makes sure that Puerto Rico, which suffers 
devastating rates of poverty, 43 percent, and especially childhood 
poverty--an unacceptable 57 percent of all the children in Puerto Rico 
live in poverty. So we want to make sure that Puerto Rico receives its 
fair share of Federal food assistance.
  The American Rescue Plan may be the greatest anti-poverty effort in a 
generation, and we make sure that Puerto Rico is part of it.
  Now let me turn my attention to schools. One of most enduring images 
of the COVID-19 pandemic will be the empty classroom. For 12 months, 
teachers have done their level best to keep their students engaged with 
remote learning, but there have been incredible difficulties. Too many 
students don't have reliable internet. Too many parents can't be there 
to help young kids log on and keep up with their work. Simply put, 
there is no replacement for having kids in the classroom. We need to 
get our schools to reopen as quickly and as safely as possible.
  Now, my Republican colleagues have made a lot of noise about 
reopening our schools, but they don't want to dedicate any resources to 
actually getting it done. We need money to do this. There are many more 
expenses under COVID.
  Through the American Rescue Plan, Senate Democrats delivered the 
single largest investment in American education ever. We are proud of 
that. Proud. Let me say it again. Through the American Rescue Plan, 
Senate Democrats delivered the single largest investment in American 
education ever--ever--$170 billion to repair the damage caused by this 
pandemic, three-quarters of which will go directly to K-12 education, 
prioritizing school districts that need it the most. This will help 
schools update ventilation, hire more nurses and janitors, make 
classroom sizes smaller, and make getting kids to and from school safe.
  In short, the American Rescue Plan will greatly accelerate the safe 
and effective reopening of schools. Once kids are back in the 
classroom, the American Rescue Plan will help make sure they can stay 
there and succeed. After what has been a lost year for too many 
students, this bill provides significant support for learning recovery 
programs--afterschool programs, summer school programs, and other 
resources to help kids catch up and get back on track.
  Through the American Rescue Plan, we have made a life-changing 
investment in our students. It is one of the many ways this bill will 
help us recover from the crisis and come back stronger than ever 
before.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. ROSEN). The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
order for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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