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Here is an update for May 21st.
 
Thought of the day: “What's right about America is that although we have a mess of problems, we have great capacity - intellect and resources - to do some thing about them.” — Henry Ford

President Trump will see the best of Michigan and our communities during his visit today. Strength and resiliency. The know-how, grit, determination and American ingenuity that can in a short time convert a plant to production on critical equipment needed to care for the sick and protect the healthy. Production at Rawsonville started because UAW, Ford, and Airon came together quickly to find a solution for ventilators. The entire teams of scientists, engineers, UAW workers, and the skilled trades came together quickly and demonstrated how we remain at the forefront of innovation and technology. President Trump is visiting the home of Rosie the Riveter. We know what it means to step up when your country needs you and teamwork includes caring, compassion, and kindness. That’s the best of our community.
 
This is a big week for the auto industry as we begin the slow reopening of the economy. The most critical factor in the reopening is making sure we take proper steps to protect the health and safety of workers. Masks, distancing, and regularly washing hands and surfaces are critical protocols and all visiting the plants must follow them. Workers need to wear their masks at all times and keep their physical distance - it matters. Ford has already had to temporarily halt production at two plants because workers tested positive for COVID after coming back to work. The spread is real. No one is above these steps, and it is my respectful wish that President Trump and his entire team take these protocols seriously. Their actions do have consequences, and wearing the masks might save a life.
 
This week, Michigan unemployment hit 22%. This is the highest it’s been since 1976. If you or anyone you know needs access to unemployment, please know you can file for it here. Now more than ever we must look out for those who have been impacted by this virus at no fault of their own. If you filed and are having issues accessing benefits, please call my office at 313- 278-2936.
 
The flooding in Midland and surrounding areas is devastating. We are all here to support those impacted in whatever way we can during these COVID times. One thing we do know is that the two dams that broke were over 50 years old and one was condemned two years ago. Nothing was done to fix the dam. In the face of this tragedy, it’s also a reminder of steps we can take to rebuild our aging infrastructure. 19 dams in Michigan have been found to be high hazard and more than 80 other dams in Michigan have serious issues. We need a massive update in our infrastructure. Both parties have been calling for this for years and it is time to stop kicking the can down the road. It will create jobs and fix and address urgently needed repairs to our roads, bridges, dams, schools, led water pipes and help connect rural and urban areas to broadband.

Nearly 80 of us in the House are urging that any future coronavirus relief package include a 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps that would help restore the nation's public lands and waters. This is not only something that would help our environment and infrastructure, but it would create millions of jobs and provide a massive return on our investment. Over 30 million Americans out of work. We need bold thinking that can help those who need work and move our country forward.

Yesterday, members of the Energy and Commerce Committee held a bipartisan briefing with Greg Burel, the former Director of the Strategic National Stockpile. We discussed the role the Strategic National Stockpile plays in a public health emergency, as well as his perspective to improve the stockpile’s emergency response and resilience. 

This is a critical issue as we work to improve our nation’s emergency preparedness. We need to ensure that the United States has a strong domestic manufacturing base to produce personal protective equipment and is able to quickly scale up production if necessary to meet future needs. To this end, my colleague, Congresswoman Jackie Walorski, and I have introduced bipartisan legislation, the Medical Supplies for Pandemics Act of 2020. The bill would authorize $500 million annually through fiscal year 2023 to implement a Supply Chain Flexibility Manufacturing Pilot program to establish and maintain domestic reserves of critical medical supplies. This provision was included in the House-passed Heroes Act, and we will continue to work to address this key problem in future supplemental legislation.

Team Dingell is here seven days a week and wants to listen and help. It isn’t as smooth as we want on some issues, but we will never stop fighting for you. Call our office at 313-278-2936 or contact us through Facebook or our webpage.
 
New information becomes available every day. Below is a list of resources and information that can be helpful during this time. Please share this information with your family, friends, and colleagues. Remember, stay home, stay safe, save lives.

Coronavirus information

File for unemployment

Small Businesses can apply for low-interest disaster loans

Navigating Social Security Benefits
 
School Based Food Service Interactive Map
 
Food Banks and Kitchens in Michigan's 12th Congressional District
 
Contact numbers for people looking for information are:
• Centers for Disease Control, cdc.gov/coronavirus, 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636).
• Michigan.gov/coronavirus, or 888-535-6136.