Washington, DC – Today the Senate introduced a modified version of President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan, including critical funding for local governments. The Senate version of the bill preserves this important component of the plan, which American mayors have been calling for since last spring. To date, most American cities have been left behind in Washington’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, but this plan will finally provide relief to cities that have suffered painful budget shortfalls as a direct result of the crisis. In response to the Senate moving forward on this revised bill, U.S. Conference of Mayors President and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer released the following statement:
“America’s mayors are grateful that Leader Schumer and other Senate leaders are keeping their promise to support the cities that have been on the frontlines of this pandemic. The crisis has taken a painful toll on local governments, municipal workers, and the millions of Americans who rely on essential city services. The bill introduced in the Senate today will make cities safer and healthier, keep cops and other essential workers on the job, and allow cities to help drive an equitable economic recovery for the country. For the first time in a long time, there is real reason for optimism that this pandemic can soon be behind us, but there is still significant work to be done. This bill is critical to being able to turn the page and move us forward, and we urge the Senate and House to move quickly to send it to the president’s desk.”