Press Releases

(Honolulu, HI) – U.S. Congressman Ed Case (HI-01) issued the following statement following the President’s signing of H.R. 133, passed by Congress December 21st and including $2.3 trillion in both further COVID-19 emergency assistance and the regular annual funding of the federal government for Fiscal Year 2021:

“The President’s approval of Congress’ bipartisan compromise $900 billion COVID-19 emergency assistance measure, along with our $1.4 trillion regular annual federal funding bill, is welcome news for all Americans. Not only does it deliver further critical COVID-related assistance across-the-board, but it averts a federal government shutdown amidst the worst of the crisis.

“But I’m not going to fawn with gratitude for his doing what he could and should have done almost a week ago, as soon as Congress sent him a measure he and his own administration negotiated and he said he’d sign if Congress got it to him. He knew then, as he knows today, that his own party had firmly rejected a higher direct stimulus payment and that the only way to get critical aid out now was to sign the bill right away.

“We will keep seeking a higher direct stimulus payment starting with a vote in the U.S. House tomorrow, though the real obstacle has always been and remains the U.S. Senate majority. But what a disruptive and cruel week the President unnecessarily imposed on the country and on families, communities, businesses and governments throughout.”

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