March 06, 2021

Manchin Votes For COVID-19 Relief Package

COVID-19 relief package includes billions to help West Virginia kill COVID-19 and rebuild

Washington, DC – This afternoon, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) voted to pass the COVID-19 relief package to help America end the COVID-19 pandemic.  

“Nearly a year ago, the first West Virginian was diagnosed with COVID-19. We have spent the last year mourning over 500,000 Americans and over 2,300 West Virginians who lost their lives due to this horrific virus. Our healthcare providers and frontline workers have worked tirelessly to care for their fellow West Virginians, our students and teachers have adjusted to new ways of learning, and our small businesses and restaurants closed their doors to protect their communities from COVID-19. This was a challenging year that tested every American, but we are finally seeing a light at the end of the tunnel.

“Today the Senate passed a COVID-19 relief package that will help kill the COVID-19 pandemic and set us on the right track to economic recovery. This bill provides $14.2 billion for COVID-19 vaccines, $49 billion for testing and tracing. $8.5 billion for rural health providers, and $7.6 billion for community health centers, ensuring the vaccine continues to be our top priority and healthcare workers receive the support they deserve. This pandemic also impacted our students, communities, families and small businesses. West Virginia alone will receive approximately $140 million for broadband expansion, $152 million for emergency rental assistance, and $1.34 billion for our schools and childcare facilities. Every city, town, village and county in the state will receive funding to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and support essential frontline workers. A vast majority of West Virginians will also receive $1,400 stimulus checks. We were also able to extend unemployment benefits through the end of August and protect those receiving unemployment benefits and making less than $150,000 from being hit with an unexpected tax bill next year. This relief bill will help West Virginia rebuild after this incredibly difficult year.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our entire nation and through it all, West Virginians have banded together to keep our loved ones safe. The end is within reach and this COVID-19 relief package is what West Virginia needs to put this pandemic behind us once and for all. I am proud to vote for this relief package and I look forward to seeing the President sign this bill into law.”

COVID-19 Relief Package Benefits For West Virginia:

Local Governments

  • $624 million that will go directly to local governments – cities and counties – across West Virginia for expanding broadband and fixing sewer and water infrastructure, including:
    • $162 million for larger metropolitan cities
    • $141 million for smaller cities
    • $321 million for 55 counties 
  • $1.25 billion for the state of West Virginia

Schools

  • $126 billion for K-12, including roughly $800 million for West Virginia schools
  • $40 billion for higher education, including roughly $190 million for West Virginia’s colleges and universities (including public and private, non-profit schools)
  • $1 billion in supplemental, emergency funding for Head Start with roughly $10 million going to West Virginia
  • $39 billion for child care, including roughly $260 million for West Virginia

Broadband Expansion and Hotspots

  • $10 billion for broadband infrastructure in rural states, with a minimum of $100 million per state – West Virginia is estimated to receive $140 million
  • Nearly $7.2 billion for hotspots and other devices for distance learning efforts around the country – includes Senator Manchin’s language allowing for 100% reimbursement so rural schools don’t have to bear the burden of higher costs
  • $200 million for hotspots and Internet-connected devices and other connectivity initiatives – West Virginia will receive at least $2 million

Stimulus Checks

  • Senator Manchin has always supported targeted checks to the workers and families that need them most, including:
    • Direct $1,400 checks to every person making $75,000 or less
    • Direct checks of $2,800 to every couple that files jointly and makes $150,000 or less OR $112,500 (or less) as head of household
    • An additional $1,400 for each qualifying child or dependent

Housing

  • $20 billion for emergency rental assistance with $152 million going to West Virginia
  • $4.5 billion for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
  • $500 million for Low Income Water Assistance

Seniors

  • $1.4 billion for programs that assist older Americans with more than $9 million going to West Virginia that will directly provide senior nutrition services (including home-based delivered meals), support caregivers and invest in preventive services 

Vaccines, Testing and Contact Tracing

  • $15 billion for COVID-19 vaccines
  • $50 billion for COVID-19 testing and tracing
  • $10 billion for the Defense Production Act (DPA) for COVID-19 supplies 

Child Tax Credit

  • This bill allows parents to receive a tax credit of up to $3,600 per child under age 6 and $3,000 for children 17 and under
  • The tax credits are fully refundable (Americans can receive this amount as a refund from the IRS) and are available to every American with children regardless of income

Rural Health Providers

  • $8.5 billion for Provider Relief Fund to support rural health providers, including hospitals, clinics, health centers, home health, and long-term care centers
  • $7.6 billion for Community Health Centers for vaccine administration and distribution, testing, tracing, equipment and supplies, workforce, and infrastructure needs
  • $7.6 billion for grant awards to State, local, and territorial public health departments to establish and expand public health workforce
  • $500 million for rural healthcare grants to create an emergency pilot program to increase vaccine capacity and distribution
  • $1.4 billion for various programs to strengthen the healthcare workforce education programs and retention

Opioids

  • $3.32 billion to the Substance Abuse Prevention and Health Services Administration to address addiction and mental health

Small Businesses 

  • Provides $15 billion for SBA to administer additional Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) advance payments
  • Includes $7.25 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
  • $25 billion for restaurants and $1.25 billion in additional funding for shuttered venues – two of the sectors most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic

Economic Development and Transportation

  • $15 billion for the third round of the Payroll Support Program for the airline industry – West Virginia contractors received $23 million through this program in the CARES Act
  • $8 billion for airports to cover operations, make payroll, and recover from the pandemic – critical for West Virginia’s airports
  • $3 billion for the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to help communities recover from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 25% of funds dedicated to communities that have suffered job losses in the travel, tourism, and outdoor recreation sectors

Food Assistance

  • Temporary boost the value of voucher benefits for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • Extends P-EBT program authorization through the summer months
  • $510 million for FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program

Veterans Assistance

  • $14.482 billion for healthcare services and additional resources to care for Veterans
  • $386 million to help get Veterans back to work by funding up to 12 months of rapid retraining assistance and a housing allowance for Veterans who are unemployed as a result of the pandemic
  • $272 million to mitigate the backlog in claims processing caused by the COVID-19 pandemic
  • $100 million in funding to accelerate VA’s supply chain modernization
  • $500 million to help states upgrade State Veterans Homes across the country with West Virginia state homes receiving approximately $2.2 million in emergency payments.