Risch and Crapo vote to pass Coronavirus relief

Washington — U.S. Senators Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) voted in favor of bipartisan legislation to fund the government through the fiscal year 2021.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act passed with a vote of 92-6 in the Senate; Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and two other Republican senators voted against the bill.

According to Risch, “It’s a difficult situation for Idaho right now with COVID cases surging, but we are at the beginning of the end of this pandemic. This bipartisan COVID relief legislation provides much needed, targeted relief as the vaccines developed as part of the successful Operation Warp Speed are delivered throughout the country,”

Risch claims that millions of doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being administered to health care workers and people on the front lines fighting the virus.

Priority is going to those front line workers and then to the elderly, essential workers and immunocompromised individuals next.

“While inoculations continue, this COVID relief bill will help stabilize and sustain the American economy while delivering targeted assistance to Idaho families, individuals, and businesses experiencing the greatest need,” Risch said, “I am confident this will provide the relief needed to get us through the final stretch of this challenging time, and I am confident we will come through this stronger, just as America has so many times.”

The legislation will include direct payments of up to $600 per adult, making up to $75,000 per year and couples making $150,000 per year with $600 additional payments per dependent child.

Enhanced jobless benefits of $300 per week, roughly $284 billion in Paycheck Protection Program loans, authorizing a second draw for small businesses who have already benefited from the program.

Also included is $25 billion in rental assistance for people who have fallen behind on rent and face eviction, an extension of the eviction moratorium, and $82 billion for schools and colleges.

Authorize funds for vaccine development, therapeutics, testing and contact tracing, enhance support for farmers and agriculture under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

$15 billion for theaters and other live venues, an appropriations bill was likely to provide a last $1.4 billion installment for Trump’s U.S.-Mexico border wall as a condition of winning his signature. The Pentagon would receive $696 billion.

According to the Associated Press, a 400-page water resources bill targets $10 billion for 46 Army Corps of Engineers flood control and environmental and coastal protection projects.

Another addition would extend a batch of soon-to-expire tax breaks, such as one for craft brewers, wineries and distillers are included in the relief bill.

Other relief spending includes $7 billion to increase broadband access and specifically $300 million on rural broadband deployment, $4 billion to help other nations vaccinate their people, $14 billion for cash-starved transit systems, and $1 billion for Amtrak and $2 billion for airports and concessionaires. Food stamp benefits would temporarily be increased by 15%.

Boundary County is currently benefiting from an increase in PPP loans to businesses. Many have spent the initial amount approved during spring, as the ongoing Canadian border closures have significantly hurt businesses.

According to the AP, “The 5,593-page legislation — by far the longest bill ever — came together Sunday after months of battling, posturing and postelection negotiating that reined in a number of Democratic demands as the end of the congressional session approached.”

The bill is similar to a bipartisan bill presented by Republican leadership but rejected by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D- Ca) for not providing enough.

Sen. Risch’s Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act was included in legislation to improve aquifer levels in Idaho and across western states by expanding aquifer rechargeability through federal lands and facilities.