U.S. Rep. Fred Keller: Congress is responding to COVID-19 in a big way
Whenever I am asked about what Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District is like, I always respond with what I firmly know from meeting so many constituents – that is that the folks in central and northeastern Pennsylvania are the most intelligent, hardworking, and thoughtful people you will meet anywhere.
With that understanding, I want to let you know that Congress’ response to COVID-19 has been crafted to immediately and substantially help small businesses, their employees, and families in our local communities affected by this national emergency.
That response has taken three different phases.
Phase 1 addressed the immediate public health and safety concerns caused by COVID-19. The $8.3 billion legislative package included money for testing, vaccine development, therapeutics, personal protective equipment, state and local government response efforts, and mitigation of the disease abroad.
Congress passed Phase 2 in mid-March to expand sick and family leave for workers directly affected by COVID-19 while strengthening nutrition assistance for low-income individuals, seniors and students. The $2.5 billion package included relief for families and individuals who might need to take paid leave from work in order to care for themselves or family members while providing tax credits to small businesses, and boosted unemployment compensation funding for those who may be laid off as a result of COVID-19’s economic impacts.
The Phase 3 legislation which Congress most recently passed was one of the largest undertakings ever accomplished by the federal government.
As work progressed on Phase 3 legislation, I spoke with many small businesses and workers across our district struggling to deal with COVID-19’s negative impacts. That is why I wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to ensure that the legislation provided immediate and significant relief to small businesses and their workers, who are suffering at no fault of their own during this outbreak.
I was glad to see Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate come together to pass a Phase 3 package that put our small businesses and their workers first.
The legislation created the Paycheck Protection Program, which includes low interest small business loans to cover payroll costs, group health care benefits, employee salaries, interest on a mortgage obligation, rent, utilities and any other debt obligations incurred before Feb. 15, 2020. Moreover, all payment on principle, interest and fees will be automatically deferred for six months, and the loans will be forgiven if the funds are used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utility payments and the business retains their workforce through June 30, 2020. To increase efficiency and ensure these funds are driven out to businesses and their workers immediately, these loans will be managed by private lenders – not government bureaucrats.
In addition, I was happy to see quicker access to Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster Loans made available, including sizable advances to ensure small businesses have needed liquidity to make ends meets.
But Phase 3 did more than just help small businesses. With direct rebates to individuals and families, needed financial assistance will go directly into the pockets of Americans to enhance buying power and provide some level of economic security during this uncertain time.
The legislation also helps major job creators affected by COVID-19 by providing loans and grants through the Treasury Department with appropriate oversight. This will help ensure private sector companies critical to national security can remain functioning and keep Americans working when this crisis abates.
Phase 3 includes provisions to strengthen access to health care by increasing Medicare reimbursements, eliminating red tape within the Food and Drug Administration to approve needed medications, and incentivizing tele-medicine.
Finally, the relief bill provides needed funding to state and local governments, first responders and those within the Department of Defense and Veterans Administration responsible for fighting COVID-19. More than $125 billion will be used to support our hospitals and purchase personal protective equipment, ventilators and respirators that our health care heroes desperately need.
With all these necessary provisions, I want you to know that I realize this legislation is not perfect and is not the bill that I would write in a perfect world.
That said, in a time of national crisis, we cannot let perfect be the enemy of the good.
Rest assured, this legislation will do good for Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District, the Commonwealth, and our nation.
It will help us emerge from this crisis stronger, allow our economy to recover quicker, and ensure that nobody is needlessly harmed by this terrible virus.