Upton’s priorities included in year-end omnibus, COVID relief package

U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI) on Monday voted to support passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of bipartisan legislation that will provide COVID-19 relief to millions of Americans and fund the federal government. Several of Rep. Upton’s priorities were included as part of the legislative package, including support for School-Based Health Centers and improving pipeline safety.

“This package isn’t perfect but it’s a good compromise and delivers real help. With the new vaccine, there is light at the end of an extremely long tunnel, but to ensure folks can make it until then, we need this package,” Rep. Upton said yesterday. “Bottom line? I joined our bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus’ call that we could not leave D.C. for home without seeing an agreement enacted to help folks across the country — and that’s what this deal does.”

Rep. Upton, vice chairman of the House Problem Solvers Caucus, worked with caucus members and a bipartisan group of senators to design the bipartisan, bicameral package that is expected to also pass the U.S. Senate and be signed into law by President Donald Trump. The package was split into two votes and both were passed by the House with overwhelming bipartisan majorities.

“COVID-19 has caused suffering in this country like we haven’t seen before. Families, small businesses, healthcare workers, schools — they’re all struggling, and this bipartisan package throws them a lifeline,” said Rep. Upton. “I’ve heard from countless doctors and nurses, mom-and-pop small businesses owners, teachers, and community leaders who begged Congress to stop acting like the Grinch and provide much-needed help.” 

Among numerous provisions, the $908 billion package provides additional resources for the Paycheck Protection Program, emergency food and rental assistance, healthcare workers and hospitals, testing, tracing, vaccine development and distribution, schools, and broadband. The legislation also extends unemployment assistance for 16 weeks and provides for direct stimulus payments.

As part of the legislative package, the House supported Upton’s efforts to reauthorize the School-Based Health Centers (SBHC) program through 2024 and provide SBHCs with the federal support they need to continue delivering low-cost health care to students across the country, the congressman’s office said. There are more than 120 SBHCs in Michigan alone. SBHCs mainly operate in underserved communities and provide primary care services to school children.

Also included in the package was the bipartisan Protecting Our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act, which reauthorizes the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Rep. Upton included an update to the last pipeline safety reauthorization in 2016, and now visual surveys and other technology to assess the integrity of the pipeline will be required at least once a year.   

The PIPES Act will ensure the nation’s pipelines remain secure, Rep. Upton said. “The safe operation of our nation’s pipeline system is vital to our economy, our national security, and our energy security,” he added.