WASHINGTON D.C., DC — President Donald Trump signed a $900 billion pandemic relief package on Sunday, December 27. That decision ends days of drama over his refusal to accept the bipartisan, bicameral deal that will deliver long-sought cash to businesses and individuals and avert a federal government shutdown.
After he signed the bill, Maine's U.S. Senators released responses.
Senator Susan Collins issued the following statement:
"The President's decision to sign the bipartisan COVID emergency relief bill into law is welcome news for the American people.
"The agreement that our bipartisan, bicameral group negotiated was the foundation for this much-needed assistance. The law extends the Paycheck Protection Program I coauthored and allows our hardest-hit small businesses, such as restaurants and others in the hospitality sector, to receive a second forgivable PPP loan. This additional assistance will help prevent small businesses from having to shut their doors for good, allow them to continue paying their employees, and cover certain overhead costs, such as modifications to comply with public health guidelines. A new program I authored with Congressman Jared Golden will also provide targeted assistance to loggers for the first time.
"The compromise also provides urgently needed housing, nutrition, and unemployment compensation to struggling families; appropriates additional funding for testing, vaccine distribution, and provider assistance to our stressed health care system; allocates funding for schools that have been challenged to operate safely in a COVID environment; assists the overwhelmed Postal Service; and provides assistance to our airlines, airports, mass transit, and bus and motorcoach companies that keep our country moving."
"The package also fully funds our government through September 2021 and provides significant investments including strengthening our defense and assisting our veterans to providing funding for biomedical research and public health to supporting transportation and economic development programs that will help our country as we make progress to defeat the pandemic."
Senator Angus King quote tweeted a tweet that shared the news and said: "This bipartisan legislation was crafted to provide critical aid for unemployed Americans, struggling small businesses, food banks, and expanded vaccine distribution. We did our job for the American people, and are glad the President finally agreed."
U.S. Representative Jared Golden's team also released a statement, reading:
"I'm glad the president has signed the COVID-19 relief bill into law. Millions of families and thousands of small businesses are counting on the relief measures contained in this legislation to survive the next several months of this pandemic.
"Provisions in the COVID-19 relief bill will provide additional unemployment assistance for the tens of thousands of Mainers who have lost their jobs during the pandemic. The bill will also direct more support to struggling small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Act. In addition, this legislation will prevent many evictions across the country, help hospitals and healthcare professionals to treat those infected by COVID-19, aid school systems, and provide federal assistance to deliver a vaccine as quickly and effectively as possible.
"Crucially for our state, the bill also includes first-of-its-kind legislation to provide direct relief to loggers and log haulers as the industry continues to be battered by the pandemic economy. This provision, authored by Senator Collins and me, could be of great importance to many logging businesses and workers. We will continue to work together to see that Maine benefits from this program.
"My staff and I remain committed to helping constituents and businesses in our district understand the resources available to them through this relief bill and to working with federal agencies to ensure Mainers receive all the relief for which they qualify. Please do not hesitate to contact my office for assistance."
In November, the Maine Department of Labor reported a five percent unemployment rate for the state. That's compared to a 6.7 percent rate nationwide. In 2020, as compared to 2019, the unemployment rate has gone up in every county in Maine. The counties with the biggest increase include:
- Oxford County: 2.8 percent increase (from 3.4% to 6.2%)
- York County: 2.4 percent increase (from 2.6% to 5.0%)
- Lincoln County: 2.1 percent increase (from 2.8% to 4.9%)
- Cumberland County: 2.0 percent increase (from 2.3% to 4.3%)