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Dear [firstname],

The American Rescue Plan

One year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic swept across our nation and El Paso, resulting in millions of job losses, closing thousands of small businesses, exacerbating poverty and food insecurity, and eventually taking the lives of more than 530,000 Americans.

El Pasoans deserve a robust, comprehensive response to this pandemic, and this week, I voted for the American Rescue Plan Act to deliver desperately needed relief, and today, President Joe Biden signed it into law.

The American Rescue Plan delivers critical relief to El Paso families and small businesses, will lift millions out of poverty, and accelerates vaccination efforts to finally defeat the virus. To ensure you have all of the information possible about the resources that will become available to you, I’m holding a bilingual tele-town hall on the American Rescue Plan: Vaccine and Relief Programs, this Saturday, March 13, 2021, at 9 a.m. MT. Please read below for the details.

An analysis prepared by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform estimates that the American Rescue Plan will provide over $16.8 billion in state funding for Texas in addition to urgently needed funding for El Paso communities:

  • El Paso County: $162.7 million
  • City of El Paso: $159.2 million
  • City of Socorro: $7.4 million
  • Town of Horizon City: $4.2 million
  • City of San Elizario: $1.9 million
  • Town of Anthony: $1.1 million
  • Village of Vinton: $440,875
  • Town of Clint: $240,000

The American Rescue Plan will also:

Put Vaccines in Arms: The plan will mount a national vaccination program that includes setting up community vaccination sites nationwide and addressing disparities facing communities of color. It will also take complementary measures to combat the virus, including scaling up testing and tracing, addressing shortages of personal protective equipment, etc. 

Put Children Safely Back in School: The plan will make a nearly $130 billion investment in school re-opening and making up for lost learning.

A previous analysis prepared by the House Committee on Education and Labor estimates that the American Rescue Plan will, if the Texas Education Agency adheres to the mechanisms in this legislation, provide the following amounts to our local school districts:

  • El Paso Independent School District: $208,996,000
  • Ysleta Independent School District: $145,025,000
  • Socorro Independent School District: $115,735,000
  • Clint Independent School District: $37,795,000
  • San Elizario Independent School District: $16,668,000
  • Canutillo Independent School District: $13,460,000
  • Fabens Independent School District: $12,017,000
  • Tornillo Independent School District: $4,170,000
  • Anthony Independent School District: $2,062,000

Put Money in El Pasoan’s Pockets: The plan finishes the job on my and President Joe Biden’s promise to provide $2,000 in direct assistance to households with checks of $1,400 per person, following the $600 down payment enacted in December. The plan will also provide direct housing assistance, nutrition assistance for 40 million Americans, expand access to safe and reliable childcare and affordable health care, extend unemployment insurance so that 18 million American workers can pay their bills, and supporting 27 million children with an expanded Child Tax Credit and more than 17 million low-wage workers through an improved Earned Income Tax Credit.

Put People Back in Jobs: The plan will provide crucial support for El Paso’s hardest-hit small businesses with EIDL grants, expanded PPP eligibility, and more. The plan also provides crucial resources to protect the jobs of first responders, frontline public health workers, teachers, transit workers, and other essential workers that all Americans depend on.

For more information on the American Rescue Plan, please click here.

Bilingual Tele-Town Hall on the 
American Rescue Plan: Vaccine and Relief Programs

Help is on the way for El Paso families, businesses, schools, and heroes on the frontlines of this devastating health and economic crisis. Please join my tele-town hall on Saturday, March 13, 2021, at 9 a.m. MT to learn more about the American Rescue Plan and the latest information on the vaccination program, the new round of Economic Impact Payments, and support for small businesses.

I’ll be joined by local experts to provide the latest updates and answer any questions about the American Rescue Plan you may have.

My tele-town hall is free and open to the public, and Spanish-language translation will be provided by calling (866) 416-5213. Livestream with ASL interpretation will be available on my Facebook page.

WHAT: Bilingual Tele-Town Hall on the American Rescue Plan: Vaccine and Relief Programs

WHEN: March 13, 2021, at 9 a.m. MT

GUESTS:

Chief Jorge Rodriguez, El Paso Office of Emergency Management
Dante Acosta, El Paso District Director, Small Business Administration

WATCH LIVE: www.facebook.com/RepEscobar

COVID-19 Testing, Vaccines, and Additional Resources

New information about COVID-19 and the vaccine rollout plan is coming out daily. Please visit my resource page on my website for the latest updates, recommendations from the CDC, and a Frequently Asked Questions section to know the latest. Additionally, visit the sites below to stay up to date.

The CDC provides updates on the virus and safety information for the public and healthcare professionals, as well as Frequently Asked Questions available here

The City of El Paso has a hotline for residents to call for more information regarding COVID-19 and the COVID-19 vaccine. The number is 915-21-COVID, or 915-212-6843.

The City of El Paso offers mobile testing centers throughout the city that are now open and are free of charge for any symptomatic or asymptomatic person. For more information on locations and operating hours, please click here

Currently, the City of El Paso is administering COVID-19 vaccines to El Pasoans who meet the 1A and 1B criteria. Phase 1A recipients include frontline healthcare workers and residents in long-term care facilities. Phase 1B recipients include people 65 years of age and older and people 16 years of age and older with at least one chronic medical condition that puts them at increased risk for severe illness or death from COVID-19. If you fall into one of these categories, you may now be able to receive a vaccine depending on supplies and can pre-register on their website, or by calling their COVID-19 hotline at 915-212-6843. Texas will begin allowing individuals in Phase 1C to begin receiving vaccines starting March 15, 2021. Phase 1C includes Texans who are ages 50 and older. Vaccines have also been distributed to other local providers and I encourage you to visit the Texas Department of State Health Services website to find a provider near you.

Lastly, please encourage your family and neighbors to subscribe to my newsletter, so I can provide them with timely updates. For news throughout the week, you can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter at @RepEscobar.

The safety and well-being of you and your loved ones are of the utmost importance. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact my office via email at Veronica.Escobar@mail.house.gov or by phone at 915-541-1400. 

Sincerely,

Veronica Escobar
Member of Congress

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