Press Release

MN GOP members of Congress voted against $1,400 for their constituents and over $1 billion in aid for their districts

Today, Minnesota DFL Party Chairman Ken Martin released the following statement blasting Minnesota’s Republican congressional delegation for voting against the American Rescue Act late last night:

“Representatives Hagedorn, Emmer, Fischbach, and Stauber’s votes against the American Rescue Act is an insult to the working families, small businesses, and local governments struggling to make ends meet during this historic global pandemic. It is truly astonishing that Minnesota Republicans would oppose funding for vaccine distribution, safe school reopenings, and $1,400 relief checks for the American people.

“The American Rescue Act also contains  over $1 billon in funding for state and local governments in Minnesota’s Republican-controlled congressional districts, money those governments need to pay for police, health care services, and so much more. Minnesota Republicans’ votes to deny desperately-needed resources from their constituents is disappointing, but not surprising given their history of putting their far-right ideology ahead of Minnesotans.”

A key provision of the American Rescue Act is funding for state and local governments struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic. According to estimates from the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Minnesota Republicans voted against bringing over $1 billion of American Rescue Act fundingback to their home district.

Recent polling has shown that the vast majority of the American people support President Biden’s American Rescue Act. Currently, the bill is supported by 76% of American voters and 60% of Republican voters.

The American Rescue Act contains numerous important provisions to help the American people build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic, including:

• $1,400 COVID relief checks, to complete December’s $600 checks, for a total of $2,000
• $350 billion in state and local government aid
• Funding for COVID-19 testing and vaccine distribution
• Funding for schools to safely reopen