U.S. Rep. Don Beyer, who represents the 8th District of Virginia that includes the City of Falls Church and who is expected to chair Congress’ Joint Economic Committee in the coming session of Congress, issued the following statement Monday on the funding and relief legislative package expected to pass the House this evening:

“The legislation we pass today is a down payment on what Congress owes the American people. It is absolutely not ‘mission accomplished.’

“This bill should be much bigger, it should put more money in people’s pockets, it should provide more help and more certainty to the unemployed, and it should do more to boost the economy. It is better than nothing, but it is not nearly enough. The country needed this relief and this support for a more robust pandemic response long ago.

“Once again, as I said in March, the shortcomings in size, scope, and duration, and in the failure to help struggling state and local governments, make it clear even as we pass this legislation that Congress will have to pass another aid package next year. I hope Senate Republicans do not waste seven months denying the American people the assistance they need again in 2021.”

Beyer voted in favor of final passage for the full legislation.