Hirono: American Rescue Plan Will Deliver Urgently-Needed Relief to Struggling Hawai‘i Families

Senator Mazie Hirono today voted in favor of the American Rescue Plan, comprehensive COVID relief legislation that she said will provide billions of dollars in aid and support to Hawaiʻi families and communities.

The legislation passed in the Senate by a vote of 50-49.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has touched every family and community in Hawaiʻi and across our country. With so many people still out of work and unable to pay their mortgages and bills, it was crucial for the Senate to pass a sweeping relief bill that meets the urgency of the moment facing our country,” Senator Hirono said. 

“By passing the American Rescue Plan, the Senate has taken bold action to put money into peoples’ pockets, help our schools re-open safely, support state and local governments, speed vaccine distribution, expand health care access, and so much more. I urge the House of Representatives to pass this legislation as soon as possible so that President Biden can sign it into law,” she said.

The American Rescue Plan includes the following assistance to Hawaiʻi:

• At least $2.2 billion in funding for state and county governments
• $1,400 stimulus checks to hundreds of thousands of Hawaiʻi residents
• Expands the Child Tax Credit and makes it fully refundable, benefitting 287,000 children in Hawaiʻi
• Expands the Earned Income Tax Credit, benefitting 69,000 Hawaiʻi families
• Approximately $430 million in funding for Hawaiʻi’s K-12 public schools to help them reopen safely
• $100 million in funding for Hawaiʻi colleges and universities
• Over $130 million to support Hawaiʻi child care programs
• A minimum of $152 million in rental assistance for Hawaiʻi residents
• $20 million in grants to the Native Hawaiian Health Care systems
• Provides 100% coverage of COBRA payments to help affected Hawaiʻi residents keep their health insurance

US Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) also voted to pass the new $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that includes at least $6.1 billion in estimated funding for Hawai‘i. Details are posted here.