House Passes Critical Coronavirus Relief Legislation, Headed to the President’s Desk to be Signed into Law

March 27, 2020
Press Release

Includes Important Lowcountry Priorities Cunningham Fought For and Secured

Washington, D.C. –  Today, Rep. Joe Cunningham (SC-01) joined his colleagues in the House in supporting Congress’ third coronavirus response package. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which also passed the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support and is now headed to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law, includes critical economic relief for hardworking South Carolinians and small businesses.

Cunningham worked hard to ensure that this legislation includes important Lowcountry priorities, including much needed relief for South Carolina families, seniors, servicemembers, and small businesses – especially those in the hospitality and tourism industry, which has been particularly hurt by this crisis.

“As we confront this global crisis, I’m proud that we put politics aside and worked together to deliver real economic relief and aid to families, small businesses, health care workers, and local governments,” said Cunningham. “This legislation will provide direct economic relief to American families, resources to help small businesses weather the storm, enhanced unemployment measures for workers who’ve been laid off or furloughed, and critical funding and resources for health care workers on the front lines. As we confront this unprecedented public health and economic crisis, we need a strong, coordinated response from the federal government. I’m glad we were able to do that today, and I look forward to President Trump swiftly signing this legislation into law.”

Thanks in part to Cunningham’s advocacy, this legislation will:

  • Provide direct economic relief to Americans by delivering $1,200 cash payments to working-class Americans, and an additional $500 cash payment is available per child.
  • Provide relief for South Carolina small businesses, including those in the tourism and hospitality industry, to help them weather the storm, take care of their employees, and reopen when it is safe to do so.
    • This bipartisan legislation includes more than $375 billion in small business relief, including $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses so they can continue to pay their employees; $17 billion for debt relief for current and new SBA borrowers; and $10 billion in immediate disaster grants.
  • Establish an employee retention tax credit for struggling businesses that retain and pay their workers, rather than lay them off.
  • Protect social security for our seniors.
  • Ensure active and retired servicemembers and military families have access to testing and treatment.

The CARES Act also includes:

  • Enhanced unemployment measures that expand unemployment insurance to previously-ineligible groups including self-employed individuals and independent contractors, provide a 13 week extension of federally-funded benefits, and increase benefits by $600 per week for the next four months.
  • Increased funding for hospitals, health care providers, and the resources that keep those on the front lines safe.
  • Increased funding for state and local governments to help them cope with the coronavirus pandemic. South Carolina is estimated to receive $1.996 billion.
  • The creation of a Pandemic Response Accountability Committee to oversee stimulus spending and protect taxpayers from fraud, waste, and abuse.