WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Doug Jones of Alabama voted in favor of a year-end COVID relief and government funding package that includes a number of bills and priorities he has advocated for this year. The $2.3 trillion package, which includes both annual government funding and $900 billion specifically for COVID relief, passed the Senate and the House of Representatives late last night by overwhelming bipartisan margins. The bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed in to law.
“I’ve been calling for Congress to pass additional COVID aid since May, and while it’s a relief that we were finally able to pass this package before critical aid programs expire at the end of the year, this bill is not sufficient to address the dual economic and health crises that we are facing,” Senator Jones said. “This package does contain positive news for health care workers, schools and smal
The COVID relief package will provide $600 direct payments to Americans earning up to $75,000 and will restart $300 per week emergency unemployment benefits for 11 weeks. It will also provide $69 billion for COVID vaccine distribution and over $22 billion for testing and mitigation efforts. The agreement will also provide an addition $284 billion for forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans for small businesses.
Provisions in the final package spearheaded by Senator Jones include:
- End to surprise medical billing – Senator Jones cosponsored bipartisan legislation to protect Americans from unexpected out-of-network and emergency medical bills;
- Eviction moratorium extension – The provision to create a moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, introduced by Senator Jones and included in the CARES Act, has been extended until January 31, 2021;
- $1+ Billion In Loan Forgiveness for HBCUs – Forgiveness granted for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with loans under the federal Capital Financing Loan Program;
- $1.7 billion for HBCUs and minority-serving institutions – Senator Jones joined his colleagues this summer in calling for additional funding for HBCUs;
- Simplifying the FAFSA form – The package includes Senator Jones’s legislation to finish simplifying the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, an ongoing effort he has led with Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.);
- Restores Pell Grants for Incarcerated Individuals – Ends the 26-year ban on incarcerated individuals qualifying for Pell grants;
- $12 billion for Community Development Financial Institutions – Senator Jones introduced legislation to increase these funds to help low-income and minority communities weather the economic crisis;
- $20 billion for Economic Injury Disaster Loans – Senator Jones cosponsored legislation to increase these loans for small businesses in low-income communities;
- Employee Retention Tax Credit extension – The tax credit to help keep employees on payroll for the duration of the economic crisis, a policy modeled after Senator Jones’ Paycheck Security Act legislation in theCARES Act, has been extended;
- $3.2 billion for rural broadband – Senator Jones has long supported efforts to increase funding for rural broadband;
- $54.3 billion for K-12 schools – Senator Jones led a group of his colleagues in urging Senate leadership to increase funding for schools;
- $15 billion in funding for live venues – Senator Jones cosponsored legislation to provide assistance for live venues, independent movie theaters and cultural institutions;
- Tax treatment of PPP loans – Senator Jones cosponsored legislation to exempt PPP loans from being included in taxable income; and,
- Expanded PPP eligibility – Senator Jones joined his colleagues in calling for 501(c)(6) nonprofits, including local newspapers and broadcasters, to be eligible for PPP loans;
- $3.7 million to study Chronic Wasting Disease – Senator Jones urged funding for CWD research in a bipartisan letter;
- $2 million to implement the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act – Senator Jones’ original legislation to help solve civil rights cold cases was signed in to law in 2019.
Media Release/Office of Alabama Senator Doug Jones
