Philadelphia House leaders applaud passage of $2.6 billion in CARES funding

PHILADELPHIA, May 29 – House leaders from the Philadelphia Delegation led by Democratic Whip Jordan Harris, Democratic Chairwoman Joanna McClinton, Philadelphia Delegation Chairman Jason Dawkins, and Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus Chairman Stephen Kinsey, today applauded the passage of legislation that would deliver $2.6 billion of federal coronavirus aid to Pennsylvania’s hardest hit communities and help small businesses, schools and seniors.

Among other things, the $2.6 billion is broken down into $150 million for worker protections; $347 million for education, including early childhood education; $30 million for health care; $225 million for food access and shelter; and $980 million for services for vulnerable populations.

“This pandemic has created a bleeding wound in our state’s economy from the top to the bottom, and federal aid will help some of our neediest citizens and businesses begin the first steps on the road to recovery,” Harris said. “I’m proud that we were able to do this in a bipartisan fashion and quickly get this aid ready to be released to Pennsylvanians.”

"This funding plays a critical role in our ongoing efforts to protect and provide for those who need assistance the most during this pandemic," said McClinton, D-Phila./Delaware. "While this is a major step in the right direction, we must continue working together to connect our most vulnerable populations to the necessary resources that not only help them survive but thrive beyond COVID-19."

“This funding will go directly towards helping frontline workers get the resources they need to stay safe and help our community resume normal life,” Dawkins said. “Elected officials and community leaders need to do everything in our power to make sure that resources are getting where they’re needed most.”

“This funding will help our health care workers, small businesses, schools and more so that we can continue healing as community,” Kinsey said. “We have to keep frontline employees at the forefront of every decision we make. It’s our duty to keep people safe and give workers the resources they need.”