I recently voted for one of the most important bills that Congress will ever pass: the American Rescue Plan. First and foremost, this comprehensive legislation will rapidly get shots into arms to crush this virus, help schools reopen safely, and provide direct financial relief to Mainers. As I write this, more than 100 million Americans have already received a $1,400 check. If you were among them, please know I was proud to fight for you to receive that direct relief.

This once-in-a-generation pandemic has claimed over 500,000 American lives, including more than 700 Mainers, and harmed the livelihoods of millions. Here in Maine, more than 8,000 people are facing eviction or foreclosure, 215,000 don’t have enough to eat, and more than 100,000 lost their jobs at some point in 2020. 

Given these factors, economists made it clear: Congress had to go big with this relief package. In fact, Mark Zandi, the Chief Economist of Moody’s Analytics said, “It’s better to err on the side of too much rather than too little. Interest rates are at zero, inflation is low, unemployment is high. You don’t need a textbook to know this is when you push on the fiscal accelerator.” Experts further estimate that the American Rescue Plan could create 10 million American jobs. This package successfully balances both short-term efforts to curb the public health emergency and our long-term economic recovery—that’s why I voted in support.

The thousands of Maine residents who are behind on their rent or mortgage need help now. The American Rescue Plan provides over $25 billion in rental assistance, nearly $10 billion for homeowner assistance, and $5 billion in utilities support to keep people in their homes nationwide.

Before the pandemic, Maine ranked 12th in the nation for food insecurity. One in five Maine children go hungry. Tragically, the economic crisis has only worsened hunger in our state: now, more than a stunning 200,000 Mainers are grappling with food insecurity. The American Rescue Plan boosts SNAP benefits through the fall, which means an average of $28 extra per person a month to assist Mainers in making ends meet.

The American Rescue Plan will be an enormous relief to working parents who are juggling their jobs with caring for kids at home. Specifically, the package provides the resources necessary to fully open our schools and child care centers. I’m very pleased that Maine schools will receive an estimated $411 million to help Maine students safely return to the classroom and about $119 million in stabilization funds to help Maine’s child care providers keep their doors open.

This historic bill will also cut child poverty in half by establishing our nation’s first-ever periodic child benefit. As a result, close to 15,000 Maine children will be lifted out of poverty, creating life-changing opportunity for the next generation and their parents. Though this expansion of the Child Tax Credit is for just one year, I hope it is made permanent.

It’s no secret that our cities and towns have seen their budgets sucked dry because they worked to keep us safe when the pandemic struck. Our local governments would have been faced with difficult cuts to essential services without federal assistance. These cuts could have set our communities back years, if not decades. The American Rescue Plan could provide up to $1.037 billion to Maine and $648 million to Maine’s municipal governments to ensure our communities financially recover.

Like previous relief packages, the American Rescue Plan provides a lifeline to our small businesses with additional Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) funding and expanded eligibility for PPP loans. The American Rescue Plan is the first relief bill to include $25 billion in targeted funds just for restaurants and bars, which will ensure our eateries will not have to compete with other small businesses for PPP or EIDL loans. Small business relief is especially important in a state like Maine, where 99% of our businesses meet the SBA “small business” guidelines and employ almost 60% of Maine’s workforce—these include the family farms that feed us as well. Specific funding was also set aside to support the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation industries.

As someone who has long believed that government can, and should, be a force for good in our lives, I’m proud to have supported this legislation from the beginning. Maine families have already felt immense relief that this bill was signed into law, and I know more benefits will come soon.