Senator Amanda Ragan praises American Rescue Plan, calling it “good for Iowa families”

The following is a legislative update from State Senator Amanda Ragan, representing portions of Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties:

Women have been especially hard hit by the pandemic. Throughout the country, more than 2.5 million women have dropped out of the workforce in the past year. Female participation dipped to 57%, its lowest point in more than three decades.

The American Rescue Plan—the largest relief package for families in recent U.S. history—will have a huge, positive impact. For example, the federal legislation signed into law on March 11 provides $110 billion to expand the Child Tax Credit. Experts say the bill<https://www.thelily.com/millions-of-parents-will-get-3600-a-year-per-child-for-working-moms-its-a-total-game-changer/> could slash child poverty by almost 50%, and help many women get back to work.

Millions of parents will get $3,600 per child this year. Single parents making less than $75,000 and couples making less than $150,000 will receive a monthly tax credit of $300 for every child under 6 and $250 for every child 6 and over.

While this is a great step to helping families get their finances back on track, more can be done.

At the state level, we have many opportunities to build on the federal stimulus package. Senate Democrats support a COVID Recovery Plan<http://www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/2021/01/our-covid-recovery-plan/> that would help families bounce back by:

*   Expanding access to child care, including expanding Iowa’s child and dependent care tax credit (SF 437<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SF437>; SF 177<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SF177>; SF 186<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SF186>).
*   Expanding access to preschool, which is suffering a significant loss in funding as a result of the pandemic (SF 189<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SF189>).
*   Ensuring eligible Iowa employees qualify for up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave from work (SF 137<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SF137>).

Other good news in the American Rescue Plan includes:

*   More than $400 billion in public health spending—or roughly 21% of the stimulus package—for a national vaccination program, testing expansion, a public health jobs program and other measures to combat the virus.
*   $358 billion for safely reopening schools and emergency paid leave for those who test positive for COVID-19.
*   $420 billion for direct stimulus payments to individuals.
*   $350 billion to extend unemployment benefits and supplement state unemployment insurance payments.
*   $50 billion to expand health care access through the Affordable Care Act.

I’ll dig into other aspects of the American Rescue Plan in my columns over the coming weeks.