Press Releases

House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) Co-chair Matt Cartwright (PA-08) along with Representatives Susan Wild (PA-07), Josh Gottheimer (NJ-05) and Anthony Brindisi (NY-22) held a video press conference with regional reporters today as House Democrats are demanding support for the region’s frontline public service workers in next coronavirus aid package. The recording can be viewed here.

Northeastern Democrats are fighting for critical aid that state and local governments need to pay healthcare workers, police, firefighters, teachers and other frontline public service workers during the crisis. Without this aid, a strong ongoing response to COVID-19 and the livelihoods of frontline public service workers would be at risk.

“Frontline public service workers like police, firefighters, EMS and other health care workers are putting themselves in harm's way during this pandemic. The next aid package needs to put families and communities first by ensuring that critical public services stay up and running, and the dedicated workers who provide them are protected,” said Rep. Cartwright.

“As we move forward together, my priority is to support our local governments, hospitals, health care providers, first responders, non-profits, small businesses, college students, education institutions, and workers to ensure everyone is able to safely weather this health crisis,” said Rep. Wild. “I believe we need oversight of where funding is going and we need to ensure that the funding is accessible for the folks truly in the most need, especially those doing the critical work on the ground.”

“In my District in North Jersey, we’re one of the hardest hit areas in the entire country, and I'm fighting to make sure we're protected from this virus, that we get our local economies back on track, and that our state, our counties, and our towns have all the resources they need. Those on the frontlines right now are the workers in all our local communities: the frontline medical workers and EMTs that our counties and towns employ, as well as our law enforcement, firefighters, teachers, and the essential public service workers who're keeping us going throughout this crisis, said Rep. Gottheimer. “I'm hearing first-hand how hard our local communities are working to battle this pandemic, and disregarding our states and communities, their workers, and the resources they need is simply not an option.”

“I’ve heard from mayors, county executives, state assemblymen, county legislators: our local governments need help. And that’s why any future coronavirus relief legislation needs to include aid for our frontline workers, our state, and local governments,” said Rep. Brindisi. “This is not a bailout, it is a thank you to the brave men and women who have been on the front lines of this fight. These funds will help our police officers who’ve kept our communities safe and continued to go to work, our firefighters who have continued to serve bravely, and our educators who have continued to teach our kids through distance learning and worked with local governments to make sure kids did not go hungry.”

Last week, the House passed its third bipartisan emergency package. As a result of negotiations between members of both parties, this legislation included $30 billion reserved for community-based lenders, small banks and credit unions as well as $30 billion for medium-sized banks and credit unions – in addition to $310 billion in new funding for the Paycheck Protection Program. The resources for smaller lenders was essential to providing small businesses that do not have accounts at banks with access to emergency funding opportunities in order to help them stay afloat and keep employees on payroll.

The bipartisan package also authorized $75 billion for hospitals and health care workers, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and $25 billion for COVID-19 testing. However, Republicans did not agree to urgently needed funding for frontline public service workers. Northeastern Democrats will continue working to ensure the region and our workers have the support we need amid the coronavirus pandemic.

A recording of the press conference can be viewed here.