March 10, 2021

New Democrat Coalition Votes to Provide Critical Relief & Stimulus to Families, Workers, and Businesses

Every Member of the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) voted to pass the final American Rescue Plan Act, which will now go to President Biden’s desk. This comprehensive legislation will help end the COVID-19 pandemic, provide economic relief to workers and families, safely reopen schools, and get Americans back to work safely.

The NDC secured additional NDC-endorsed priorities in the final American Rescue Plan, as well as several other vital provision advocated for by New Dem Members, including:

  • A national recovery strategy, including funding for testing and vaccine manufacturing and distribution
  • An enhanced and expanded Child Tax Credit and Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit
  • Funding for mental health and substance abuse prevention programs
  • The longest extension of emergency unemployment insurance (UI) benefits yet
  • An extension of the employee retention tax credit
  • Increased health insurance affordability and access
  • Increased federal match rate for state Medicaid expansion
  • An extension of enhanced SNAP benefits and other nutrition support
  • Emergency rental and housing assistance
  • Newly added funding for the Tech Modernization Fund to help government IT systems better serve the public
  • Funding to support IT modernization for state health insurance exchanges
  • Funding for schools and state and local aid 

“My district, where the first known cases and deaths of COVID-19 were identified, has been combatting this virus for over a year now. Communities in my district and nationwide need more support and this legislation shows that is Congress’ top priority,” said NDC Chair DelBene. “With a pandemic still raging and weak economic data, this bill meets the moment of this crisis to support our workers, families, small businesses, and public health response. We look forward to President Biden signing this legislation into law to get immediate relief to the American people.” 

The NDC has been actively engaged with the Biden-Harris administration, House Leadership, and the committees of jurisdiction to advance the NDC’s economic stimulus priorities and First 100 Day Agenda to make progress on some of the most pressing issues and greatest opportunities of the 21st Century. The NDC sent a letter to President Joe Biden, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer outlining these priorities, which were also discussed in a meeting with Brian Deese, Director of the White House National Economic Council and Jeffrey Zients, Coordinator of the Biden Administration’s COVID-19 Task Force. 

The NDC is committed to advancing the following priorities in future COVID-19 relief and recovery packages to ensure we build back better. These will include bills previously endorsed by the Coalition, such as:

  1. An updated version of the Worker Relief and Security Act to provide long-term certainty and support for unemployed works through automatic stabilizers for emergency unemployment insurance benefits (Reps. Beyer, Kilmer and Sens. Reed, Bennet)
  2. The Build Back Better Act to provide flexible, multi-year grants to persistently distressed communities so they can make the investments they need to create quality jobs, raise median wages, and provide workers with resources to access and retain work (Rep. Kilmer)
  3. The Innovation Centers Acceleration Act to launch a national race-to-the top grant program to establish new American Innovation Centers in regions outside of existing advanced technology hubs (Reps. Morelle, Sewell and Sens. Coons, Durbin)
  4. The New Business Preservation Act to create a new program at the Treasury Department that will partner with states to invest in promising new businesses alongside private investors in areas of the country that do not currently attract significant equity investments (Rep. Phillips and Sen. Klobuchar)

The House’s final passage of the American Rescue Plan, and the President’s expected signing of the Act, advances the first pillar in the NDC’s 100 Day Agenda: End the pandemic and get people back to work. 

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