To the Editor:

I was so pleased to see that the American Rescue Plan passed and was signed into law by President Joe Biden.

This legislation will provide assistance to many who desperately need it. In addition to the new stimulus payments, the American Rescue Plan will allow increased unemployment benefits to continue and will temporarily expand the child tax credit.

With advance payments of the credit to be made to eligible families, a large number of children will be lifted out of poverty. Eligibility for the credit was expanded, so that many poor families who did not qualify previously are now eligible.

Payments to states and municipalities will help to keep these bodies solvent and make up for revenue shortfalls that they have suffered over the past year. Additional resources will be dedicated to vaccines and COVID research, which is vital as variants continue to mutate and grow.

Although many will decry “big government,” I am grateful that many vulnerable members of our society will enjoy some relief.

Thank you to President Biden and to all senators and congressmen who voted in favor of this legislation, particularly Senator Charles Schumer, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Congressman Paul Tonko, and Congressman Antonio Delgado.

Jill Loew

Guilderland