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WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. From Congressman Mondaire Jones. March 12, 2021: Friday afternoon, Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY) hosted a press conference to highlight how the American Rescue Plan, which President Biden yesterday signed into law, will impact Westchester and Rockland Counties.

The American Rescue Plan will deliver more than $23 billion to New York State, including more than $400 million in funding to Westchester and Rockland Counties and the cities and municipalities within them. The bill also provides more than $560 million in funding for the counties’ school districts, including approximately $380 million for the East Ramapo Public Schools.

Rep. Jones’ full remarks are below as prepared and video of the event can be found here.

Good afternoon. I am thrilled to be with you all today to celebrate the passage of a transformative piece of legislation – the American Rescue Plan.

At the start of this pandemic, Westchester and Rockland Counties were hit the fastest and the hardest. And for nearly a year, COVID-19 has robbed our communities of lives and livelihoods. But after a hard year, today, our communities are finally getting the relief they deserve. 

The American Rescue Plan is the most transformative piece of economic legislation for working people and families in modern American history. I was proud to fight to get this bill passed in the United States Congress. Now that it’s been signed into law, we can finally crush the COVID-19 virus, deliver much-needed financial relief for working families and small businesses, and begin the process of Building Back Better from the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

It will invest $71 billion in vaccinations and testing, separate and apart from $25 billion to address health disparities and protect vulnerable populations; $128B to safely reopening K-12 schools, including well over $400 million for K-12 schools in NY-17;  and getting direct cash relief to the American people, including $1,400 checks for 85% of American households and an expanded, refundable child tax credit that will literally cut child poverty in half. 

And that’s just the beginning, this bill also provides relief for restaurants and small businesses, expands health care coverage to as many as four and a half million more Americans, and strengthens protections for our essential workers.

Perhaps most importantly, the American Rescue Plan will deliver more than $23 billion in direct aid to New York State and municipalities like Westchester and Rockland. The Westchester County government, for example, will receive $187 million. The Rockland County government will receive $63 million. Right here in White Plains, the City of White Plains will receive $22 million in direct aid. In Rockland, the Town of Ramapo will receive $15 million in direct aid. You get the idea.

I said from the beginning that I would deliver results for the great people of Westchester and Rockland Counties, and that is exactly what I’m doing. I meant it when I said that help is on the way. The American Rescue Plan is transformative, and it gets us on the path to Build Back Better. And make no mistake, I’m going to continue fighting for a federal $15 minimum wage and student relief.

In the meantime, though, I am thrilled that relief is finally on its way to the American people. And now I’m excited to hear from leaders from across our district about what that relief will mean for them.