Foster, Newman, Underwood, other officials urge Senate to pass $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package

Members of Congress representing the Will County area are urging the Senate to pass a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill.

While the House of Representatives already passed the bill, the Senate, which is narrowly controlled by Democrats, still has to vote on it. Largely Democratic proponents of the package argue the bill includes necessary funding for vaccinations, direct payments to struggling Americans, money for local governments and more.

On Friday, U.S. Reps. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, Bill Foster, D-Naperville, Sean Casten, D-Downers Grove, Marie Newman, D-La Grange, Brad Schneider, D-Deerfield, and local officials from Will, DuPage, and Lake counties held a virtual news conference arguing why the package is needed amid the ongoing pandemic.

“It will put money in pockets, shots in arms, children in schools and people in jobs,” Underwood said. “It will save lives and deliver urgently needed financial relief to Illinoisans who continue to face economic hardship.”

Foster praised the Biden Administration’s efforts to expedite the manufacturing and distribution of vaccines and argued the relief package would build on that progress.

“Making sure that every American who wants a vaccine can get a vaccine is essential,” he said.

Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Shorewood, explained how local governments, businesses and nonprofit organizations benefitted from about $120 million distributed to the county in a previous COVID-19 relief package. She said local entities were “provided a lifeline” with the federal funding in the early months of the pandemic.

“But the economic and social fallout from this pandemic continues,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “And while the vaccine provides a light at the end of the tunnel, devastation caused by this pandemic will continue long after the final vaccine has been distributed.”

The county executive also pointed to social service agencies that have been asked to do more to meet the greatly increased need and how cultural centers and entertainment venues have been “virtually shuttered for almost an entire year.” The Will County Board recently voted to establish another round of its small business grant program in anticipation of an additional $135 million that’s included in the bill for the county.

Still, one provision of the bill, which would have gradually increased the national minimum wage to $15 per hour, almost certainly won’t pass the Senate after the chamber’s parliamentarian ruled it was not eligible for inclusion because it violated the procedural rules under which the package is being voted on.

Newman said it was frustrating that an “unelected” parliamentarian “stated an opinion” that is “going against the wishes of the American people.” She argued a national minimum wage hike is not dead and if it will not pass in the final package, it should be “forcefully” brought up for a vote.

“Just know that this is not the end of it,” she said. “We will get $15 an hour passed. I guarantee it.”