Pennsylvanians are suffering. Biden’s coronavirus relief plan will help. | Opinion

The American Rescue Plan is a big deal for Pennsylvania. It is laser-focused on people, communities, and businesses that actually need help — and its impact should not be understated.

While it doesn’t solve every problem and we still must raise the minimum wage to $15, this plan puts thousands of dollars into millions of pockets, more shots into arms, and more hope on the horizon. Working-class communities who have disproportionately suffered, including Black and brown ones especially, are front and center. According to one analysis of the plan, poverty would fall about 40% for Black and Hispanic Americans this year.

Despite united Republican opposition and lots of Beltway cynicism, President Joe Biden’s rescue plan emerged as bold as it was introduced, with relief actually going toward those who need it most.

Let’s give credit where it is due: to the pressure and organizing by the same multiracial working class coalition in Pennsylvania who sent President Biden and progressive majorities to Washington.

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These individuals and organizations led the long fight for a bold rescue plan. Over the last few months, they’ve called and written their representatives, and held events across Pennsylvania, to demand Washington deliver a comprehensive solution to the socio-economic crises exacerbated by COVID-19. Sen. Bob Casey and all nine Democratic representatives listened, supported the plan, and provided united leadership.

Despite the dire needs of their own constituents, every Republican elected to Congress from Pennsylvania opposed this bill. Sen. Pat Toomey even suggested the economy is “roaring back” despite millions of his constituents struggling to make ends meet. He advocated instead for no relief at all, even rejecting a Republican plan to provide a fraction of the aid.

There’s no denying that Pennsylvanians are suffering. And for once, our representatives bet big on the real drivers of economic recovery: working people. Instead of prioritizing the wealthy and powerful, this plan provides the most aid to workers, children, and communities. It’s no surprise that it is supported by huge bipartisan majorities of everyday Americans.

Broadly, the Democrats’ plan stands in stark contrast to the $1.9 trillion tax bill passed by the former president and his allies in Congress. The GOP Tax Law was a massive giveaway to the well-off and well-connected, with 80% of the benefits going toward the richest 1% of Americans. In contrast, the American Rescue plan provides nearly half the benefits to the 40% most struggling economically.

According to the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, in addition to more than six million Pennsylvania households receiving relief checks, the American Rescue Plan will lift over 140,000 children out of poverty, provide expanded tax credits for nearly 900,000 kids, increase nutritional aid for 1.8 million families, and reduce the cost of health insurance for 100,000 Pennsylvanians. It also helps struggling small businesses, restaurants, renters, and childcare providers.

As a result of continued unemployment benefit expansion, a projected 640,000 workers are no longer at risk of losing their expanded unemployment insurance in March and are protected from unfair tax bills. Nearly 700,000 Pennsylvania workers will benefit from expanded earned income tax credits.

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With $20 billion in aid for Pennsylvania state and local governments and school districts, this rescue plan will provide needed investment to avoid disastrous cuts to services and care for Pennsylvanians and protect countless workers, including teachers, firefighters, social workers and more, from being laid off.

President Biden and progressive majorities in Congress delivered on a bold rescue plan. But we know the Republican-led legislature in Pennsylvania won’t deliver for us. So we also need Washington to help our struggling communities by raising the minimum wage to $15, passing comprehensive immigration reform, securing accessible health care and housing for all, and forgiving student debt, to start.

All of us deserve to live and work in communities where we can thrive. And President Biden’s American Rescue Plan is a step in the right direction toward that shared goal. We can’t take our foot off the gas — we must keep the pressure on Washington to protect our livelihoods, health, safety and democracy.

J.J. Abbott is the executive director of Commonwealth Communications, a Pennsylvania-focused communications and progressive advocacy organization, and the former press secretary to Gov. Tom Wolf.