ATLANTA – House Minority Leader James Beverly (D-Macon) today issued the following statement in response to the passage of the federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act:
“Democratic leadership and the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act will provide desperately needed relief to Georgia’s hurting communities. In the last year, all of our lives were uprooted and changed dramatically. We lost businesses and jobs, as well as time with friends and important moments with family. We lost our neighbors and loved ones.
“Nearly 20,000 Georgians have lost their lives during this tragic moment in our history. But, joy cometh in the morning, and there is light finally on the horizon. The American Rescue Plan Act will lighten the economic burden that Georgia’s hard-working communities have been struggling with over the last year by providing them with direct, financial relief. It is our job in the State Capitol to ensure these funds reach the communities that need this aid, as some in Georgia’s state government may be tempted to spend this relief on ill-advised tax cuts for the wealthy.
“This plan includes $4.7 billion in aid to Georgia’s state programs, $3.6 billion in aid for local relief in Georgia, $4.5 billion in support for schools to reopen safely and funding to provide $1,400 direct checks to more than 90 percent of Georgia residents.”
The ARP Act is the Democratic plan proposed by President Biden’s administration to provide direct aid to Americans across the country to address the economic impact of COVID-19.
Representative James Beverly represents the citizens of District 143, which includes portions of Bibb County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and currently serves as House Minority Leader. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and on the Ethics, Health & Human Services, Retirement, Rules, Small Business Development and Special Rules committees.
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