**Rep. Kuster’s full speech is available HERE**
**The House passed a previous version of this legislation last month** 

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) spoke on the House floor in support of the Senate-amended American Rescue Plan Act to boost the nation’s vaccine distribution and deliver much-needed relief to struggling families, health care workers, and small businesses in New Hampshire and across the country. Rep. Kuster has been a consistent and leading voice in Congress for the Biden-Harris administration’s American Rescue Plan and additional relief for the American people as the country continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Provisions spearheaded by Kuster to bolster and quicken our nationwide vaccine rollout are included in the American Rescue Plan Act. The Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act would improve and expand real-time communication between state and federal governments, as well as public and private health care providers, to ensure vaccines are being administered effectively and efficiently across all states and territories. This year, Kuster also introduced the Coronavirus Vaccine and Therapeutic Development Act to ensure that the United States will be able to mass-produce and administer COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics quickly and efficiently. Funding modeled after both of these bills is included in the American Rescue Plan Act. Funding for the Emergency Support for Substance Use Disorders Act, Kuster’s legislation to create emergency grants during the COVID-19 crisis for states and community-based organizations that serve individuals with substance use disorder (SUD), is also included in the American Rescue Plan Act.

Watch Rep. Kuster speak on the House floor here or read below:

Today, I rise in strong support of the American Rescue Plan Act, ambitious and urgently needed legislation to end the COVID-19 epidemic and facilitate our economic recovery.

The federal government has a responsibility to provide support to millions of families struggling because of lost work, or grieving because they lost a loved one. And this American Rescue Plan fulfills this responsibility, providing $1,400 relief checks to Americans that are hurting financially.

And for the Americans who have lost their jobs during the pandemic, this bill extends critical unemployment benefits so they can get back on their feet. And for children and families who are approaching one year of remote schooling, this bill provides $125 billion to safely reopen our schools and protect teachers and students. For small businesses that have been hit hard, this legislation includes increased funding for the Paycheck Protection Program and other support loans and grants. And for over 25 million Americans who are struggling to put food on the table, this bill increases SNAP benefits so families do not go hungry. For the nearly 10 million Americans who are behind on rent and utilities, this bill provides funds to keep a roof over their head and lights on.

And I am very pleased that this bill includes funding modeled after my legislation to ramp-up and fund the manufacturing and distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. 

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