The United States House of Representatives this afternoon passed a $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief bill championed by President Joe Biden. After having already passed the U.S. Senate this past Saturday, the bill will now travel to the White House for Biden’s signature.

The bill passed along party lines by a vote of 220 to 211, with only Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden (D-MN) crossing over to vote nay.

Among New Jersey’s House members, Republican U.S. Representatives Chris Smith and Jeff Van Drew voted no; and Democratic Representatives Donald Norcross, Andy Kim, Josh Gottheimer, Frank Pallone, Tom Malinowski, Albio Sires, Bill Pascrell, Donald Payne, Mikie Sherrill and Bonnie Watson Coleman voted yes.

The President and congressional Democrats argue that another massive bill is necessary to assist both people in need and the nation at large. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) described the bill as the most transformative she has ever seen in her 30 year career in Congress.

“At moments of enormous national crisis, government has risen to the moment. The American Rescue Plan does so once more,” said Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-9). “This is one of the most significant pieces of legislation Congress will pass this generation. The American Rescue Plan will lift millions of Americans from poverty and our nation from its knees. Our action today gives us the tools to vanquish this virus, energize our economy, and clear our communities to reopen. The American people entrusted the Democratic Party with total control of the federal government to end the pandemic and bring America back. Today we are delivering. Today begins America’s road to recovery and prosperity.

“We cannot ignore that not a single Republican in either chamber of Congress voted for this legislation. Not one. Facing a global crisis, GOP leaders and rank and file are united to sit on their pause button. Their stubbornness will not stop us. Democrats want to help Americans and guide our country into the next century. The American Rescue Plan achieves both. America’s reopening starts now.”

“Today’s vote comes exactly one year after the first COVID-19 death in New Jersey. Since then, we’ve lost more than 23,000 of our neighbors, with hundreds of thousands losing their jobs or their businesses,” said U.S. Rep. Andy Kim (D-3). “This crisis has impacted every New Jerseyan, and Congress owes every one of you everything we can to get you through this. This bill is big because the crisis we face is big. It funds faster vaccine distribution because we need to get shots in arms now. It provides direct payments, tax credits, and larger unemployment help to our working families because we can’t leave them behind even when the virus is beaten. It directs critical help to our small businesses because they’re the backbone of our economy. And provides funds to our counties and townships so they can reopen schools and keep our first responders on the job.”

“New Jerseyans are finally going to see the relief they’ve needed for far too long,” said Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-11). “Communities across North Jersey have borne the brunt of this crisis and this package will go a long way in helping support our families and businesses. The American Rescue Plan provides the funding needed to get our kids back in school safely, support our small businesses, keep roofs over the heads of those struggling to make rent and mortgage payments, and bolster crucial vaccine distribution efforts that will finally get this pandemic under control. It also includes the provision I’ve fought for since last spring that will bring twice as much direct state and local funding back to NJ-11 to help keep first responders on the job, relieve the economic burden of COVID-19, and ensure essential services are maintained as the battle against the pandemic continues.”

The American Rescue Plan also includes two Sherrill-backed provisions to provide direct aid to New Jersey’s counties and municipalities and to keep healthcare affordable for working families by pausing the IRS clawback of Advanced Premium Tax Credits (APTC). Rep. Sherrill introduced the bipartisan SMART Act in 2020 to provide state and local funding and pushed leadership to keep this in the final package. Under the American Rescue Plan, counties and municipalities in the 11th District will receive an estimated $475 million in direct support, double the amount provided under the CARES Act.

“We need this bill because millions of Americans are struggling to put food on the table, pay their rent and mortgages, and keep their businesses open during this public health crisis,” said Rep. Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-10). “With several new vaccines on the market, we are getting closer to the herd immunity necessary to reopen our society.  But we still must get more Americans vaccinated so we can return to work, reopen schools, and support our small businesses.”

“This is about saving lives and livelihoods. The American Rescue Plan is a comprehensive plan to get more vaccines into arms, students back in school and people back to work,” said U.S. Rep. Donald Nocross (D-1). “Every American, from our local port workers to grocery store clerks, and from small business owners to students, urgently needs help to weather both the health crisis and economic crisis caused by this pandemic. Hard working New Jerseyans will see additional direct payments of up to $1,400, residents dealing with unemployment will continue to get relief and our small businesses will receive crucial support to keep their doors open. Today, we came together to pass the American Rescue Plan to support all South Jersey residents and truly begin to build back better.

“My colleagues and I heard the concerns of Americans and fought for resources to keep fire, police, sanitation workers and teachers on the job, including an estimated $374 million for the South Jersey towns and counties in our district, as well as resources for schools to safely open and operate, including an estimated $236 million for our local schools and over $250 million for the county colleges and universities in our region. In addition, this package invests in our food banks and greatly expands the Child Tax Credit to help lift millions of American children out of poverty. We have a responsibility to protect the health and well-being of our families and neighbors and today help is on the way.”

When the President signs the bill, U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) said New Jersey stands to receive an estimated $9.3 billion—split, approximately $6.4 billion to the state and $2.9 billion combined to each county and municipality—which is significantly more than it would have received under a formula that only considers population.

The state and local funding piece in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan is modeled off of Sen. Menendez’s bipartisan SMART Act and provides direct, flexible assistance to every state, county and municipality based upon a formula that targets funding to the areas with the greatest need.  U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) cosponsored the SMART Act.

“Our state and local governments have been on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.  They have been bleeding resources for over a year while costs have soared and revenues have plummeted.  As a result, they have borne the brunt of the economic pain and desperately need help,” Sen. Menendez said.  “This badly needed federal funding will not just keep the lights on at City Hall, it will also help our communities get more vaccines in people’s arms, keep our first responders, teachers and other essential workers on the job, maintain our infrastructure and critical services, help our small businesses stay afloat, and put us on a smoother path towards economic recovery after the pandemic.  This was a long and hard-fought battle, but I am pleased to be able to deliver in this COVID relief package billions in direct, flexible federal assistance to each and every corner of New Jersey.”

“In the midst of the greatest public health and economic crises of our lifetimes, it is unacceptable New Jersey schools, hospitals, small businesses, and workers faced the additional threat of budgetary shortfalls,” said Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).  “With state and local governments across our country facing the painful decisions of potentially laying off thousands of police officers, firefighters, teachers, and other essential workers, and cutting essential services, the full support of our federal government has never been more important to fight this pandemic.  The federal funding in this COVID relief package will help provide the relief that New Jerseyans desperately need, and I was proud to work with Senator Menendez in getting it across the finish line.”