WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), Chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee, applauded the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s COVID-19 relief proposal to help fill out President Biden’s $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. The nearly $100 billion proposal, which was amended, debated and approved by the full Committee this afternoon, includes bipartisan language Larsen championed to help cover costs of pay, benefits and training for aerospace employees at risk of being furloughed or who were furloughed due to the pandemic.

“In Washington state, transportation means jobs and is key to economic recovery. I am pleased this bill includes much-needed relief to support aviation workers and promote a strong economic recovery for U.S. aviation and aerospace,” said Larsen, a senior member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. “I urge my colleagues to support this bill and provide real relief for transportation and the American people.”

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s portion of the FY21 budget reconciliation bill includes much-needed relief for:

• Aerospace Manufacturing: $3 billion for a temporary payroll support program Larsen championed to retain or rehire aerospace workers. More than 136,000 highly-skilled aerospace workers and more than 1,400 aerospace-related companies support Washington state’s aerospace supply chain and the regional economy.

• Airports: $8 billion, including $800 million for airport concessionaires. Preliminary relief estimates for Northwest Washington’s airports include:
• Paine Field: $5,591,753
• Bellingham International: $4,466,863
• Friday Harbor: $1,078,547
• Arlington Municipal: $59,000
• Skagit Regional: $59,000
• Anacortes: $32,000 
• Orcas Island: $32,000 
• Seattle-Tacoma International: $175,792,651

• Transit: $30 billion to help assist with operating costs, including payroll and personal protective equipment. Preliminary relief estimates for Northwest Washington’s transit agencies include:
• Bellingham (Whatcom Transportation Authority): $21,226,320
• Marysville (Community Transit): $6,120,738
• Mount Vernon (Skagit Transit): $7,347,458
• Seattle (includes Sound Transit and Everett Transit, among others): $867,098,422
• Rural transit funding for Washington state: $14,529,416

• Amtrak: $1.5 billion to recall and pay employees furloughed due to the COVID-19 pandemic through the end of FY21 and to restore daily long-distance service.

• FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund: $50 billion for reimbursement to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments dealing with ongoing response and recovery activities from COVID-19, including vaccination efforts, deployment of the National Guard, providing personal protective equipment for critical public sector employees and disinfecting activities in public facilities such as schools and courthouses.

• Economic Development Administration: $3 billion to provide economic adjustment assistance to help prevent, prepare for and respond to economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee focused its first hearing of the 117th Congress on the pandemic’s impact on transportation workers. Larsen released a statement highlighting the work being done – and still to do – to keep Washingtonians and Americans safe and the economy moving.

To read the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s COVID-19 relief proposal, click here.

To read Larsen’s statement for the record in support of the relief proposal, click here.

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