Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the $1.9 trillion federal coronavirus relief and stimulus bill approved by Democrats in his chamber will send $100 billion in aid to his home state of New York.
Schumer said help is on the way for everything from vaccines and schools to transit and restaurants.
“It will affect about every aspect of New York life where there has been trouble,” Schumer said.
Connecticut’s U.S. Senators praised the pandemic relief package that’s now before the House of Representatives.
Speaking at New Haven’s City Hall, Senator Chris Murphy called the stimulus package one of the most important pieces of legislation of his career.
“It is going to power our country back to near-full employment. It’s going to save thousands of businesses right here in the greater New Haven area, and it’s going to lift half of the kids living in poverty in the neighborhoods that surround City Hall out of poverty,” Murphy said.
Alongside the bill’s $300 monthly tax credit for families with children, the package includes about $350 billion in aid to cities and states. Murphy and his fellow U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said New Haven alone could see about $100 million from the package. The city faces a $66 million budget deficit this year. That’s one of the worst shortfalls in decades.
“This major life-saving measure will put shots in the arms of people, it will put children back to school safely and it will put money in people’s pockets. It will create a roaring economy with consumer spending being the engine that powers our economic recovery,” Blumenthal said.
On Long Island, Nassau County would receive close to $400 million and Suffolk County would get just under $300 million in the latest round of federal coronavirus relief approved in the Senate over the weekend.
Revenue losses prompted Nassau to refinance its debt and cut spending in its 2021 budget. Suffolk plans to eliminate 500 full-time jobs, cut law enforcement academy classes, reduce funding and more in its 2021 budget.
The legislation now heads back to the House for final passage expected on Tuesday before going to President Biden’s desk for a signature.
Schumer announced Monday New York restaurants are now eligible for their own direct federal pandemic relief. He said restaurants would need to apply for a cut of $28 billion aid that’s available through the U.S. Small Business Administration.
