Today, Congressman Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 133, the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This bill will provide approximately $900 billion for COVID relief of which $429 billion is repurposed from unused funds included in the CARES Act enacted in March. The bill also provides funding for the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year within previously established budget caps.
“Led by Speaker Pelosi, Congressional Democrats have for months withheld relief from families and small businesses in desperate need of assistance. What we passed today was necessary to bring targeted relief to Americans during these unprecedented times. By reforming how rural health clinics are paid and giving rural hospitals the tools they need to thrive, this bill will significantly improve health care in rural and underserved areas. Urgently needed funding for rural hospitals and our children’s hospitals as well as $8.75 billion for vaccine distribution was included. Operation Warp Speed has brought forth two safe and effective vaccines. The tools are now there for Americans to receive a vaccine if they feel it is right for them and their family.
Another issue that is incredibly important to Georgians in the Third District is broadband. I am pleased that $300 million in funding for rural broadband was included which is urgently needed to ensure rural areas have access to telemedicine, mental health services, and the same economic, educational, and workforce opportunities as do those in urban and suburban areas.
The relief package also appropriately includes over $280 billion in additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which has been the lifeline for many small businesses throughout the pandemic. We fought for extending key tax provisions and reversed the ridiculous IRS ruling which would have prevented small businesses from deducting expenses paid with PPP loans. The intent of Congress was to help small businesses and their employees survive through the pandemic. It was never the intent to hit them with a tax burden. Reversing this ruling will ensure small businesses are helped and not hurt by the PPP loans.
I was proud to see the solution to end surprise medical billing in this package. All too often, patients are weighed down with a surprise medical bill following an emergency room visit. This provision will ensure patients are held harmless from these bills – saving healthcare patients $11.5 billion. It is an important step in bringing transparency to the healthcare system which is so desperately needed.
The government funding sections provide full funding for the Department of Defense and a 3% pay raise for our troops. Also funded are many priorities critically important to Georgia, including $93.6 million for the Port of Savannah, funding for the Georgia Department of Transportation, 8 C-130J and 96 F-35 aircraft, and $5.5 billion for rural electric improvements.
As this bill sensibly addresses the needs forced by the pandemic and strengthens our national security, funds the border wall, protects and modernizes our nuclear weapons stockpile, maintains all pro-life protections, and forces the Democrats to walk away from many radical socialist policies that would have been harmful “poison pills,” it received my support.”
Original source can be found here.
