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Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Michael McCaul (TX-10), Lead Republican of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, voted in favor of the year-end spending bills, referred to collectively as the omnibus. This legislation included provisions to bring much needed financial relief to small businesses and individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19 and foreign policy measures sponsored by McCaul that will protect Americans at home and overseas. The bills also included several provisions championed by McCaul to provide life-saving treatments to children battling cancer. Below are statements from Congressman McCaul on this important legislation.

COVID-19 Relief for American Workers and Small Businesses

“For the last several months, I have been strongly urging both Republican and Democrat leaders to put aside their partisan differences and pass meaningful legislation desperately needed by American families and small businesses. I am pleased they have finally done so and that the House voted in a large and bipartisan way to support this legislation. It is our duty as elected officials to use every tool of the federal government to help Americans impacted by this pandemic and to provide the funding necessary to quickly and effectively distribute the COVID-19 vaccine.” – Lead Republican Michael McCaul

Foreign Policy Measures Protecting Americans

“Whether it is the continued threat posed by authoritarian regimes, or the rising instability created by the COVID-19 pandemic, now more than ever, we must maintain U.S. leadership and advance our national security interests. I am proud to have secured robust funding to counter the Chinese Communist Party and malign Russian influence, to advance women’s economic empowerment, to combat human trafficking, to support our allies in the Middle East, and to operationalize the critical tools of the U.S. Development Finance Corporation. The world is safest when America is leading.” – Lead Republican Michael McCaul

Combating Childhood Cancer

“As the Founder and Co-Chairman of the Childhood Cancer Caucus, I have seen first-hand the devastating impact childhood cancer can cause both here in the United States and abroad. That’s why I’m so pleased Representative Butterfield’s bill, the Creating Hope Act, and key components of my bill, the Global Hope Act, were both included in the omnibus. Both of these important pieces of legislation will help to create life-saving treatments for children in need and forge new global partnerships, saving thousands upon thousands of lives.” – Lead Republican Michael McCaul

The full text of the legislation can be found here. A few of the many important provisions include:

COVID-19 related relief provisions, including:

  • Extending the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for American businesses and adding deductibility for PPP related expenses.
  • Stimulus checks of up to $600 for adults and their dependents.
  • An extension of enhanced unemployment benefits to those who are out of work because of the pandemic of an additional $300 per week for up to 10 weeks.
  • $20 billion for the production of vaccines so they can continue to be free for all Americans, and additional funding for distribution assistance.
  • $25 billion in temporary rental assistance for individuals who have been impacted by the pandemic, as well as an extension of the eviction moratorium until January 31, 2021.
  • $92 billion for schools, universities, and childcare centers to assist with reopening
  • $13 billion to support our farmers and agriculture sector
  •  $4 billion for global COVID-19 response efforts through GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance

H.R. 2002, the Taiwan Assurance Act, sponsored by Rep. McCaul and Rep. Engel (NY-16) promotes expanded government-to-government interactions with Taiwan and provides for Congressional oversight of self-imposed U.S. restrictions on cooperation with Taiwan. The measure will enhance cooperation with Taiwan, a reliable democratic partner. 

H.R. 8428, the Belarus Democracy, Human Rights, and Sovereignty Act, sponsored by Rep. Smith (NJ-04) and Rep. McCaul, provides for the promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Belarus as well as holds the illegitimate Lukashenka regime and its Kremlin backers accountable for the ongoing violent crackdown against the peaceful Belarusian protestors. 

H.R. 2615, the Northern Triangle Enhanced Engagement Act, sponsored by Rep. Engel (NY-16) and Rep. McCaul, ensures U.S. foreign assistance to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador effectively addresses the security and economic issues driving illegal migration to the Unites States. It also stands up for the people of the region by holding corrupt actors accountable through targeted sanctions.

Key components of H.R. 5338, the Global Hope Act, sponsored by Rep. McCaul. In sub-Saharan Africa, the survival rate for a child battling cancer is 20 percent. In contrast, the survival rate of children battling cancer in the U.S. has significantly increased to over 80 percent because of the life-saving treatments available to them. These provisions, the first of their kind in the U.S., will support private-public partnerships designed to give children all over the world a better chance at beating their illness. (Read more about the Global Hope Act here and the Creating Hope Act here.) 

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