Time for some good news for the poor The American Recovery Plan is 'good news for the poor' in the midst of a global pandemic — which should cheer Christians in both parties. Dawn breaks at the Capitol in Washington, Jan. 11, 2021. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) March 9, 2021 (RNS) — It isn’t often that a bill comes before Congress that is principled, pragmatic and popular. The American Recovery Plan, which lays out a bold and significant investment in the fight against COVID-19, is all three. It addresses the deep inequities of suffering from the pandemic, including the racial and wealth disparities, meets immediate and urgent needs of the moment