Carper Votes in Favor of the Budget Resolution to Tackle Pandemic, Get Relief to Americans Who Need it Most

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.) released the following statement after voting to advance the budget resolution in a first step to tackle the coronavirus pandemic and get relief to Americans who need it the most.

“I have long said that we will not get our economy back on track or Americans back to work or our kids back to school until we finally get this virus under control. In order to return to normal life and get people working again, we must finally tackle the coronavirus head-on. President Biden ran – and won – on a bold agenda to put the pandemic in our rearview mirror once and for all. In the first few days of his Administration, he has put forth an ambitious plan that meets the urgency of the moment and aggressively tackles the public health and economic crises we face. It’s now up to Congress to do our jobs and put this plan into legislation that can be enacted, and the passage of the budget resolution is the first step to doing just that. Today’s vote begins a process that will allow all of us – both Republicans and Democrats – to come together to work constructively and in good faith to actually deliver for our states and the nation.

“When I first came to the Senate, I asked Senator Ted Kennedy what his secret was to finding common ground with his Republican colleagues and getting important things done. He told me, ‘I’m always willing to compromise on policy. I’m never willing to compromise on principle.’ My principles are clear. We need to get more vaccines into Americans’ arms. We must find a way to get millions of Americans back to work in the months ahead. We must provide assistance to the neediest among us. We have to get students back in the classroom and find additional opportunities, like summer school, to allow them to catch up. And we must prioritize retraining workers who have lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic so that they can get back on their feet. As always, I want to collaborate with my colleagues to strengthen President Biden’s plan and deliver a targeted and timely COVID relief package.

“In the last year, we in Congress have been able to come together and pass several bipartisan packages to take on this pandemic, and now – after we have just experienced the deadliest month of this pandemic so far – is not the time to stop. In fact, now more than ever we should be working with one another to make sure we get relief to those who need it most. This isn’t a red state or blue state issue. All of our constituents are struggling. Small businesses in each of our states are hurting. Parents are stretched thin trying to work full time and also be full-time teachers and caregivers. And our young people are falling behind as they struggle to learn virtually or are unable to access remote learning altogether. For the sake of our entire country, let’s heed the words of Ted Kennedy and find ways to work together as this process continues. Let’s get to work.”

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