Washington must provide the help our local partners deserve
President Biden's COVID-19 relief package is moving swiftly through Congress. I strongly support his efforts to get help to the millions of Americans who need it - from laid-off workers to small business owners to students and teachers in schools that are trying to reopen safely. There is nothing more important than protecting the health of our people while bringing our economy back to full strength.
Different parts of the president's plan are being considered by different committees in Congress. I'm pleased that the Oversight and Reform Committee on which I serve is responsible for the part that targets aid to our state and local partners - all of whom are grappling with the impact of COVID-19. They desperately need federal help.
First, these units of government are largely responsible for distributing the vaccines that will put an end to the pandemic. Second, they run the public health systems that are treating many of its victims. Third, they employ the police officers, paramedics, public nurses and teachers who are on the front lines as we battle the effects of COVID-19.
Yet, to this point, none of the relief packages passed by Congress have targeted financial help to local governments, which have borne the brunt of the pandemic's cost.
Providing needed federal aid to local governments is not a partisan issue. Over the past months, I have heard from Republican mayors, Democratic mayors and Independent mayors across our district whose towns are struggling with the consequences of COVID-19. Many of these mayors have seen their budgets decimated by the loss of sales tax revenue as local restaurants and businesses were forced to shut down.
They are faced with cutting critical services like police and fire, public health and nutrition programs at the very time their residents need more help, not less. For example, the City of Elgin recently announced that it will be taking one of its fire engines out of service periodically due to budget considerations. The alternative to these cuts is an increase in local taxes - something no one should want when so many families and businesses are hurting.
That's why help is needed immediately from Washington. I'm proud that the House Oversight and Reform Committee has come through.
The bill we passed last week provides $350 billion in urgent relief to state and local governments fighting to provide critical services to struggling families. Illinois will receive $7.5 billion under this plan, while local governments across the state will receive $5.7 billion more - totaling $13.2 billion coming to our state. That money will be crucial to preventing harmful tax hikes or service cuts. It will enable our state to expand its COVID-19 testing, tracing and vaccination programs. And it will enable our cities and villages to keep their police, paramedics and other first-responders on the job.
Importantly, our bill sets aside more than $100 million for strong oversight of this spending, guaranteeing transparency and accountability in the use of these funds.
Our committee's bill will now become part of the overall COVID-relief package, which is scheduled for final action by March. With its passage, we will forge a strong partnership with state and local officials to put a quick end to the coronavirus and get our economy back on track. The residents and businesses in our district - and across our nation - deserve nothing less.
• Raja Krishnamoorthi, a SchaumÂburg Democrat, represents the 8th Congressional District of Illinois.