NEW YORK - Congressman Ritchie Torres, who represents parts of the Bronx, was among the House Democrats who voted in favor of the COVID relief package.

In a phone interview with NY1, Torres says he's confident the legislation will pass the Senate and explains what it would mean for New Yorkers.

"It will stabilize families and businesses, it will stabilize local and state governments,” Torres said. "There's more to fear from doing too little than from doing too much. If we had done too little or done nothing, then we're in danger of losing four million jobs. It would take a year longer to return to full employment. It would take four years longer to return to pre-COVID levels of economic growth. We're cutting child poverty in half. New York State in particular will receive over $70 billion in federal funding."

Torres also says it's time to increase the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, which was included in the House bill even though the senate parliamentarian ruled it could not be part of the Senate relief package.

He says we are all indebted to the essential workers who put their lives at risk during the pandemic.