WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and a bipartisan group of colleagues today announced two COVID-19 emergency relief bills which would provide as much as $908 billion in relief to American students, families, businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis. For the past month, Romney has played a leading role in negotiations to reach agreement on a final emergency relief bill before the end of the year. The two-part proposal includes a $748 billion package that funds the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), extends help for the unemployed, provides rental assistance, and funding for testing, tracing and vaccine distribution; and a separate $160 billion bill that provides aid for state, local and tribal governments in exchange for liability protections for employers, small businesses, non-profits, schools and churches.
Background documents for the bills can be found here and here. Video of Senator Romney’s remarks at the press conference is available here.
“The American people hope to see groups like this work together. That is what makes me most encouraged about what we have accomplished and most hopeful about what we can accomplish in the future,” Senator Romney said. “We were able to reach agreement on a two part relief package that includes emergency relief for small businesses, unemployment insurance, funding for vaccines and health care providers, as well as state and local assistance and a national liability shield for COVID-related lawsuits. We have people hurting right now and our country is facing a crisis, and during a crisis it is essential that we come together to do what is necessary. That’s what this legislation does.”
Background:
The Bipartisan COVID-19 Emergency Relief Act of 2020, authored by Senators Mitt Romney, Joe Manchin (D-WV), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Warner (D-VA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Rob Portman (R-OH), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Representatives Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Tom Reed (R-NY) would provide as much as $748 billion in relief to American students, families, businesses, workers, and health care providers during this crisis. The Bipartisan State and Local Support and Small Business Protection Act of 2020, authored by Senators Romney, Manchin, Collins, Cassidy, Murkowski, and Portman would provide $160 billion in funding for state and local governments and liability protections for small businesses, employers, teachers, health workers, churches, and non-profits from COVID-related lawsuits.