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Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, after one long year of this pandemic, many of my constituents are anxious. And, yeah, they are angry. Their health has been harmed, their businesses have been shut down, and they are absolutely frustrated waiting for their vaccines. They are not happy with our ex-President's response, and they are not pleased with the local response. That is why now, more than ever, we in Congress need to continue our response to COVID-19.
Madam Speaker, in the past year, we passed five bipartisan bills that kept the economy afloat and the poverty rate flat. That is why on this night with this pandemic raging this year we must support this rule, which will put shots in arms, checks in pockets, kids in schools, food on tables, strike teams in nursing homes, keep police and firefighters on our street, keep pensions secure, and provide vaccines for essential workers, including my farmworkers on the Central Coast of California, so that they can do their job for their families and for our food security.
Madam Speaker, let's do our job tonight for our constituents and for this country and pass the American Rescue Act.
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