House Democrats Achieve Historic Progress For The People in Emergency COVID Relief and Omnibus Package

From bringing down the cost of health care to addressing economic and racial inequality and building our infrastructure in a green way, House Democrats fought to ensure this year's omnibus spending package advanced the interests of America's workers, families and small businesses.

Recent coverage of and reactions to the spending bill highlight the transformative impact of many of these investments:

Affordable Health Care

NPR: Congress Acts To Spare Consumers From Costly Surprise Medical Bills

"The bottom line: Patients […] will now be protected against unexpected bills from out-of-network providers."

Politico: ‘A shining moment': Congress agrees to restore Medicaid for Pacific Islanders

"'I'm overwhelmed by this,' said Maitha Jolet, a 62-year-old Marshallese man living in Dubuque, Iowa, who's worked to help uninsured Marshallese community members deal with their high health care bills. ‘We've been waiting for this for 25 years. It's something I never thought would happen.'"

Juliet Choi, CEO of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum:

"[The agreement is] a shining moment where Congress' commitment to do the right thing will now finally allow thousands of COFA families gain access to Medicaid again."

Providing Critical, Emergency Relief to the American People

CNBC: Lawmakers allocate $13 billion to food assistance programs in an effort to alleviate hunger crisis

"Sunday's funding deal includes a 15% increase to the maximum SNAP benefits for six months through June 30, 2021, a move that many advocates were calling for. The increase amounts to a boost of about $25 per person each month."

Washington Post: Congress extends pandemic aid for the jobless and renters. Here's what you need to know.

"As part of the $900 billion stimulus bill, […] the national eviction moratorium will be extended through January. The deal also offers tenants $25 billion in rental assistance."

Addressing the Climate Crisis

Associated Press:Congress takes aim at climate change in massive relief bill

"The energy and climate provisions, supported by lawmakers from both parties, were hailed as the most significant climate change law in at least a decade."

Washington Post: Stimulus deal includes raft of provisions to fight climate change

"The most substantial federal investment in green technology in a decade includes billions for solar, wind, battery storage and carbon capture."

League of Conservation Voters:

"This year-end package takes critical steps forward in tackling climate change."

Grant Carlisle, Senior Policy Adviser at Natural Resources Defense Council:

"This is perhaps the most significant climate legislation Congress has ever passed."

Supporting Global Public Health Efforts

Global Citizen: US COVID-19 Relief Package Adds $4 Billion to Help Get Vaccines to the World's Poorest

"By investing $4 billion in Gavi, a global health partnership with the goal of increasing access to immunization in the world's poorest countries, the US congressional leaders are acknowledging that Americans cannot truly be safe from the virus until the whole world is safe.

Tom Hart, North America Executive Director at The ONE Campaign:

"This funding is a vital and significant commitment to help get vaccines to lower-income countries around the world and will help shorten the lifespan of this pandemic."

Advancing Equity & Combatting Systemic Racism

Education Week: Education Dept. Gets $73.5 Billion in Funding Deal That Ends Ban on Federal Aid for Busing

"[T]he bill funding the U.S. Department of Education ends the longstanding prohibition on using federal aid on transportation initiatives to desegregate schools."

New York Times: Financial Aid Is Restored for Prisoners in the Education Plan That's Tucked Into the Stimulus Bill

"The restoration of Pell grants for incarcerated students is something of a watershed moment for the criminal justice overhaul movement as it unwinds decades of punitive practices in favor of finding avenues to reintegrate incarcerated people into society."

CNN: Congress approves Smithsonian museums for Latinos and women's history

"[It] also greenlights the establishment of two long-awaited Smithsonian museums in the nation's capital: one focused on American Latinos and another dedicated to American women's history."

Denise Forte, Senior Vice President at The Education Trust:

"Notably, the package does include important initiatives that will reduce food insecurity, help to stabilize the child care system, and increase access to higher education."

Investing in America's Housing & Infrastructure

Roll Call: Coronavirus relief package includes broadband money for low-income, jobless

"Advocates called the provision a historic achievement that could help tens of millions of Americans bridge what has become known as the "digital divide.'"

National Low Income Housing Coalition: Advocates Secure Increased Funding for Housing and Community Development in Final FY21 Spending Bill

"With this spending bill, Congress clearly rejected the administration's calls to drastically cut housing benefits that help millions of low-income seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, veterans, and other individuals afford their homes."

Tom Smith, Executive Director of the American Society of Civil Engineers:

"[T]his bill prioritizes investment in our nation's water resources systems – dams, levees, inland waterways, and ports – all of which are critical for keeping the economy moving and ensuring public health and safety, as well as preserving and enhancing our environmental resources."