Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Ahead Of Senate Vote To Proceed To The American Rescue Plan To Deliver COVID Relief For The American People

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor before the Senate vote to proceed to the American Rescue Plan to deliver much-needed relief to the American people.  Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

In a moment, I will move to proceed to the Senate Substitute Amendment to the American Rescue Plan.

This legislation will keep America’s families, businesses, workers afloat, and hasten the day when our country can return to normal and our economy can come roaring back.

The United States is facing a once-in-a-century crisis that has sapped millions of jobs from our economy, left millions of Americans struggling to make ends meet, and stolen more than half-a-million American lives.

The time is now to move forward with big, bold, strong relief for the American people.

To send checks – as promised – to American workers and families;

To help reopen schools as quickly and safely as possible;

To help the hardest hit small businesses hang on;

To help families stay in their homes, care for their children, and put food on the table;

To keep firefighters, teachers, and bus drivers on the job, and crush the virus with testing and vaccines, once and for all;

We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.

We are not going to be timid in the face of a great challenge.

We are not going to delay when urgent action is called for.

We are not going to quit before the race is won.

We are going to sprint through the finish line.

It's time to move forward with this legislation – which will be one of the largest single antipoverty bills in recent history.

It is a time to lift this country out of crisis and set it on a path to strong and swift recovery.

It is time to tell the American people that help is on the way.

So, Mr. President, I move to proceed to calendar Number 10, H.R. 1319.

###