VIDEO: Peters: “American Rescue Plan Was the Shot in the Arm Michiganders Needed”

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement and video today marking the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan being signed into law:

“Signed into law one year ago, the American Rescue Plan was the shot in the arm Michiganders needed. Thanks to this legislation I helped enact our economy has made significant strides in its recovery and Michiganders received vital support during some of the darkest days of the pandemic.

“The American Rescue Plan delivered direct stimulus checks to most Michiganders, tax cuts for families, accelerated vaccine distribution, including at sites like Ford Field, supported our small businesses and local restaurants, expanded access to high-speed internet, and helped our kids safely return to the classroom and parents get back to work.

“As a result, we’ve created over 6.5 million new jobs in the last year – more than ever before in a single year in our history – and recovered more than 90 percent of jobs lost due to the pandemic.

“While we still have work to do, and must continue to work to lower costs for Michigan families, I’m proud of the progress we’ve made over the last year thanks to the American Rescue Plan.”

Click here or below for video of Senator Peters’ remarks.

Peters helped pass the American Rescue Plan into law to deliver COVID-19 relief to Michiganders. The package included funding to distribute direct stimulus checks, accelerate vaccine distribution, help schools reopen safely, extend unemployment benefits, and support small businesses. As Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Peters authored provisions in the bill that dramatically ramped up mass vaccine distribution – like we saw at Ford Field. Also included was the expanded Child Tax Credit – a tax cut that has helped support the immediate needs of Michigan families such as food, clothes and child care – including an estimated 1.8 million children in Michigan. The bill also reauthorized and provided $10 billion in federal funding to the State Small Business Credit Initiative, including $1.5 billion set-aside for minority-owned businesses, which helps small businesses grow and create jobs. Peters previously led the effort to reauthorize the program in the Senate and championed the original language creating the program in the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 as a member of the House of Representatives.

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