IDCCA President’s Message
by Kristina Zahorik, IDCCA President
@ILDCCA @McHenryDems

Your help to elect Democrats has resulted in their ability to provide the real help the American people need – shots in arms and checks in hand. I want to share with you the good news from the White House and the Democratic National Committee.

When President Biden took office, he promised help was on the way.  Now, Biden and Democrats have delivered on that promise in a big way.

Help is here. Democrats have delivered real, tangible results for the American people and their families. Starting with direct payments of up to $1400 to working people, reaching 85% of households. Democrats have also delivered the resources needed to help manufacture and distribute vaccines to fight against Covid-19.

In poll after poll, the vast majority of Americans support the American Rescue Plan (ARP). Despite that, Republican politicians voted in lockstep against it, but want to take credit for the money being sent to help families, small businesses, municipalities, and counties. They said NO, but still want to take the dough.  ARP’s size was determined by the experts based on what is needed to kill the virus and rebuild our economy. Every ARP provision will help end the pandemic, help struggling families, or rebuild our economy. Every. Single. One. The ARP will reopen schools, increase availability of vaccines, help families, and cut child poverty in half. These are good things.

Moreover, this bill has bipartisan support – in polls it received support from Democrats, Republicans, and independents – it was just congressional Republicans who decided to play politics with relief.

The American Rescue Plan is the most consequential piece of legislation for working families in modern American history. It is a historic response to the moment of crisis we face and will make a real difference in the lives of Americans by creating jobs, providing economic relief, and defeating this virus.

The American Rescue Plan: Impacts on Illinois

The Need for Action in Illinois

The pandemic and the associated economic crisis have had a severe impact on Illinois. The need for action is clear:

• Since the pandemic began, more than 1.1 million people have been infected with COVID-19 and more than 23,000 people have died.
• The unemployment rate is 8%, up from 3.6% before the pandemic.
• Since February 2020, more than 468,000 fewer people are employed.
• 860,000 adults – 11% of all adults in the state – report not having enough food to eat. This includes 536,000 adults living with children, or 17% of all adults living with children, who report that the children in their household do not have enough to eat.
• An estimated 525,000 renters or 20% of renters are not caught up on rent.
• An estimated 3.1 million adults or 35% of all adult’s statewide report having difficulty covering normal household expenses.

The Effect of the American Rescue Plan on Illinois

President Biden’s American Rescue Plan will provide Illinois with:

• $8.2 billion in state fiscal relief
• $5.2 billion in local fiscal relief
• More than $5.2 billion in relief for K-12 schools
• Economic impact payments of up to $1,400 per person (above the $600 per person provided in December) for more than 7.5 million adults and 3 million children. This is 85% of all adults in the state and 83% of all children in the state.
• Additional relief of up to $1,600 per child through the Child Tax Credit to the families of 2.5 million children, lifting 153,000 children out of poverty
• Additional relief of up to nearly $1,000 through the Earned Income Tax Credit to 620,000 childless workers, including many in frontline jobs
• Marketplace health insurance premiums that are $1,266 lower per month for a 60-year-old couple earning $75,000 per year

More details can be found at the American Rescue Plan.

You can share the good news too! As we know, Democrats work to solve problems and the American Rescue Plan is just the beginning. We need you to help spread the good word about this historic legislation.

Shareable guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1333cTTQVDsFJwfZwY2kZo4H1bO2F1uVhYbyZgUz72qk/edit?usp=sharing

Share graphics: https://democrats.org/american-rescue-plan/share-graphics/

Keep staying safe! Wash hands, distance, mask-up, and get vaccinated.

Best wishes,

Kristina