Press Release - Bipartisan Mayors in Colorado Write Op-Ed Urging Congress to Pass the American Rescue Plan

"Coloradans are suffering. Congress must put aside partisanship and pass the COVID relief plan."

Today, Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock (D) and Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman (R) published a joint op-ed in the Denver Post describing COVID-19's devastating impact on Coloradans and urging the U.S. Senate to put aside their political differences and pass President Biden's American Rescue Plan.

The mayors wrote: "As mayors of two of the largest cities in Colorado — one Democrat and one Republican — we don't see eye to eye on every issue, but we're united about this: Coloradans need urgent relief, and the American Rescue Plan is the right package for this time."

"The American Rescue Plan is a comprehensive legislative remedy that will help us get shots in the arms of the American people and give a shot in the arm to the economy. As bipartisan mayors, we — along with an overwhelming majority of Americans — are united in our support of this plan because we understand that the cost of inaction is unfathomable. We've put aside our political differences to do what's best for the country to move from rescue to recovery. We're calling upon our friends in Congress to do the same and pass the American Rescue Plan."

The op-ed follows numerous polls showing broad, bipartisan support for the plan, including a recent Morning Consult poll that shows 77% of voters support the package, including nearly 60 percent of Republican voters. Additionally, just this week, in a letter to the Senate, more than 400 local and national organizations highlighted the need for the plan's funding for local and state economies and jobs.

Denver Post: Hancock and Coffman: Coloradans are suffering. Congress must put aside partisanship and pass the COVID relief plan.
[Michael Hancock and Mike Coffman; 3/5/2021]

Last week, Americans watched the U.S. House of Representatives voted along party lines for President Joe Biden's economic relief package, the American Rescue Plan,

While some in Washington may view the COVID-19 crisis through a partisan lens, here in Colorado, we see things differently.

Nearly 6,000 of our neighbors have died from this virus. More than 12,000 Coloradans applied for unemployment assistance in the past week. Small businesses have shuttered. Our towns are struggling, as the state experiences record losses in revenues. And our children have suffered through an unprecedented period of school closures and virtual learning, the impacts of which may have been detrimental to their ongoing educational and social development. Simply put, Coloradans are suffering.

As mayors of two of the largest cities in Colorado — one Democrat and one Republican — we don't see eye to eye on every issue, but we're united about this: Coloradans need urgent relief, and the American Rescue Plan is the right package for this time.

When we're talking to and hearing from our residents, the number one question on the minds of our neighbors is, "When can I get a vaccine?" President Biden's relief plan mounts a national vaccine distribution strategy that will aggressively speed up and streamline vaccinations in Colorado. The American Rescue Plan would invest $20 billion in a national vaccination program in partnership with states and localities to help us fund vaccinations through community health centers and stand up mobile vaccination units that will help us get that vaccine distributed throughout the state of Colorado.

The American Rescue Plan will also provide $1,400 in economic relief payments to families who need it the most. These payments will stimulate our local economy and help struggling families pay their rent, buy groceries and cover household expenses during this trying time.

As mayors, we understand the toll this pandemic has taken on local small business owners and their employees. The American Rescue Plan provides $15 billion in grants for small businesses, which is estimated to help one million small business owners weather this storm.

Coloradans agree that we're indebted to our essential workers, who, for months, have risked their health and safety to support our communities. We're pleased that the American Rescue Plan invests $350 billion in emergency funding for state, local and territorial governments to ensure that we can not only pay our essential workers but also safely test, vaccinate and provide other vital services in our communities.

We know that safely reopening our schools is top of mind for every parent, grandparent, teacher and student. What our children have endured over this past year seemed unimaginable before. The American Rescue Plan makes a $130 billion investment in schools, to help districts purchase PPE, increase ventilation, hire additional teachers, janitors, and staff, and take additional steps to safely reopen.

We don't have any illusions about the challenges before us. As mayors, we're engaging with residents from all walks of life every day. We're hearing from parents who are worried about their children's education, small business owners who are unsure if they'll be able to pay their staff, essential workers who need additional PPE and families who are concerned about when their loved ones will be able to get vaccinated. To them, COVID-19 isn't a Democratic or Republican crisis. It's an American crisis.

The American Rescue Plan is a comprehensive legislative remedy that will help us get shots in the arms of the American people and give a shot in the arm to the economy. As bipartisan mayors, we — along with an overwhelming majority of Americans — are united in our support of this plan because we understand that the cost of inaction is unfathomable. We've put aside our political differences to do what's best for the country to move from rescue to recovery. We're calling upon our friends in Congress to do the same and pass the American Rescue Plan.

Michael B. Hancock is a Democrat and the mayor of Denver. Mike Coffman is a Republican and the mayor of Aurora, Colorado.