For Immediate Release Contact: Michael J. McQuerry
March 18, 2020 202-215-8524
PRESS RELEASE
CONGRESSWOMAN STACEY E. PLASKETT STATEMENT ON SECOND CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE BILL
Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett released this statement on passage by the House of Representatives of a second coronavirus emergency response bill:
“As a Member of Congress, I recognize that Americans urgently need a coordinated, fully-funded, whole-of-government response to keep us safe from the widening coronavirus epidemic. Yesterday the House of Representatives sent to the Senate a second emergency coronavirus response package to address urgent health, economic, and food security needs of our country, including in the Virgin Islands.
“The Family First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) establishes a federal program to provide sick and quarantined workers with two weeks of emergency paid leave and provides tax credits for employers to provide up to three months of paid time off for protracted absences from work due to the pandemic. It also provides $1 billion in grant funding to help states and territories manage and expand their unemployment insurance programs during the COVID-19 crisis; funds for free coronavirus testing; funding for enhanced food security initiatives, including SNAP, student meals, seniors nutrition and food banks; and additional federal funding for Medicaid.
“I was pleased to see provisions in this legislation to increase Medicaid funds to the Virgin Islands by $4.65 million over the next two fiscal years, and to increase the federal share of Medicaid funding to 89.2% (from 83%). The bill also contains special rules to ensure equality for U.S. territories in providing tax relief to self-employed individuals. It provides for payments to United States territories to compensate the Virgin Islands for tax credits on self-employed individuals' income tax.
“Today the Senate passed this legislation that will deliver additional relief to the American people. Lives are at stake, and we must act now to put families first. I commend the House leadership on taking the lead on this issue and for making provisions so Americans living in the territories are included.”
