New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
VP Harris coming to city
Bringing ‘Help is Here’ relief campaign to state on Friday
Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to New Haven Friday on her first visit to the state as vice president, the White House announced Tuesday.
Part of the administration’s “Help is Here” campaign, Harris’ visit is expected to focus on how the administration’s coronavirus relief legislation, called the American Rescue Plan, helps children and child care providers, sources said. The visit may also touch on vaccines and other aspects of pandemic recovery supported by the bill.
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, who represents New Haven, will give a speech along with Harris in the city Friday. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and Reps. Jahana Hayes, D-5, and Joe Courtney, D-2, are expected to attend.
DeLauro championed a temporary expansion of the child tax credit in the American Rescue Plan — a measure that will soon send families up to $3,000 per child in an effort to slash child
poverty. DeLauro and other Democrats are now pushing to make the change permanent.
“I am excited to hear that Vice President Kamala Harris is coming to New Haven to join congresswomen DeLauro and Hayes,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker on Tuesday. “This is critical in emphasizing the importance of the American Rescue Plan and how our leaders at the federal government are working tirelessly to help those who are struggling, especially in our community. I especially want to thank Rep. DeLauro for fighting for decades for the child tax credit.
The American Rescue
Plan also included billions in funding to help shuttered child care centers reopen. Unlike some states in the region, Connecticut supported child care providers remaining open during the pandemic if they could implement certain safety protocols.
Blumenthal said he looks forward to showing Harris how American Rescue Plan dollars are already working in Connecticut.
“Vice President Harris has made helping families a priority since her days as my Senate deskmate,” Blumenthal said. “Under her leadership, and the leadership of President Biden, the American Rescue Plan is injecting billions of dollars directly into Connecticut state and local governments.”
The new law sends $2.7 billion to the state government and $1.6 billion to town governments to use as they see fit, along with over $1.2 billion for Connecticut schools and millions more to back vaccine distribution, transportation and other items.
“Under the Biden-Harris Administration, we have seen an accelerated vaccine distribution effort, and we can’t wait to have the Vice President spend time in New Haven, touting the American Rescue Plan Act, which will help move our state and country forward,” said Max Reiss, communications director for Gov. Ned Lamont.
The vice president and other administration leaders have been making other trips around the country highlighting various aspects of the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan signed into law earlier this month.