Thompson Votes to Advance COVID Relief Legislation to Help Families, Workers and Small Businesses

Washington – Today Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue MeasuresRep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) voted to advance certain measures of the American Rescue Plan through the Ways and Means Committee. Provisions under the jurisdiction of the committee will help boost the health care response to the pandemic and support workers, families and businesses that have been hit hard financially.

"The Coronavirus pandemic is unprecedented and continues to hurt working families and small businesses. We have to do everything we can to get people the help they need to stay afloat and save lives," said Chairman Thompson. "That's why I was proud to vote to advance key provisions that will support our district and communities across the nation. This legislation will support families, so they are able to provide for their children and stay healthy, even if they've lost their job or their employer-sponsored health coverage. This also includes an additional $1,400 in Economic Impact Payments, to boost this round of relief to $2,000. It will also position our economy and our local businesses for a strong recovery. We have to act boldly now to help our families and businesses and I will do all I can to get this bill passed on the House floor in the coming weeks."

You can click here to listen to Thompson's opening statement, here to watch him discuss the health care provisions and here for his statement on the tax provisions. The key measures that were considered in the markup in the Ways and Means Committee include:

• An additional Economic Impact Payment for working families,
• An extension of the enhanced Federal unemployment insurance benefits,
• Expanded tax credits that help working families, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit and the Child and Dependent Tax Credit,
• A boost to health coverage affordability and accessibility,
• Important protections for older Americans in nursing homes,
• Aid for vulnerable children, workers and families that are struggling to make ends meet, and,
• A boost to retirement security.

You can click here to read more about the provisions advanced through the Ways and Means Committee today and you can click here to read more about the American Rescue Plan.

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5^th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means where he chairs the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Rep. Thompson is Chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is also Co-Chair of the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus and a member of the fiscally-conservative Blue Dog Coalition.