09.08.20

Hoeven Statement on Release of Senate's Targeted COVID-19 Assistance Bill

Senator Worked to Include $20 Billion in Direct Funding for Farmers and Ranchers

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on the targeted COVID-19 assistance proposal introduced today in the Senate. Hoeven worked to include $20 billion in direct funding, which combined with the $14 billion replenishment of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) secured in the CARES Act, will provide USDA with $34 billion in funding to assist producers. Last month Hoeven, along with Senator Joni Ernst, led a group of senators in outlining the importance of including farmers and ranchers in the legislation and pressing leadership to include the funding. 

The legislation provides targeted relief for health care, education and economic needs. In addition to the agriculture funding, the bill provides support for COVID-19 testing and vaccines, up to a $300 federal unemployment boost, assistance for schools and universities, support for the U.S Postal Service, and another round of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to help small businesses. The Senate is expected to debate and vote on the proposal later this week. 

“We are working in a targeted way to provide more help to overcome the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, including through support for our schools, teachers, and small businesses, as well as for vaccine development and testing,” said Hoeven. “As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, I also worked to ensure that assistance for farmers and ranchers was included as part of this targeted legislation. The proposal includes $20 billion in direct funding, which combined with the $14 billion CCC replenishment from the CARES Act, will provide USDA with $34 billion to help producers weather the challenges in farm country. I hope Congress can come together and pass this targeted relief legislation as soon as possible.”

In addition to the funding in the Senate’s targeted COVID-19 assistance legislation, the senator is working through the appropriations process to advance CCC replenishment to fund Farm Bill programs.

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