03.04.21

Durbin: America Needs President Biden's American Rescue Plan to Help End the Pandemic, Jumpstart Economy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on his Republican Senate colleagues to support President Joe Biden’s American Rescue Plan as they supported former President Trump’s COVID-19 relief packages last year on a bipartisan basis.  President Biden’s American Rescue Plan would deliver economic relief to American families and small businesses amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  It is a historic legislative package designed to change the course of the pandemic, get students back to school, give families and small businesses a bridge to an economic recovery, and invest in advancing racial equity.  

“So, you see, when it came to COVID rescue plans under the Trump Administration, the Republicans were happy to ask [Democrats] to join them, and we did,” Durbin said. “Eighty percent of the American people support what President Biden is trying to do… We have no greater responsibility than to put an end to this pandemic, put the economy on its feet, put the kids back in school, and let grandparents visit those grandkids again. That is part of getting America back where it needs to be. We need bipartisan support. As Democrats, we provided that support to a Republican President. Now that we have a Democratic President, will our Republican Senators do the same?”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

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