Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, is applauding the use of the budget reconciliation process to deliver urgently needed relief to Rhode Island families during the COVID-19 pandemic:
“Too many Rhode Island families are grieving a loved one lost to COVID-19, and too many are on the edge of a financial abyss. Our public health response and our economy are at a tipping point, and the danger is in not doing enough. We are moving ahead with the budget reconciliation process because it’s the first step to passing a major relief bill that can quickly deliver what Rhode Island families need. I hope our colleagues from the other side of the aisle will work productively as this process moves forward. With new COVID variants on the rise, there is no time to waste.”
Whitehouse has been advocating for more funding where it is urgently needed, including vaccine distribution, direct payments to families, mental and behavioral health services, expanded unemployment benefits, and help for state and local governments.
