Debbie's Blog
Dingell Update: June 22, 2020
Washington,
June 22, 2020
Here is an update for June 22nd.
Thought of the day: “The simple act of caring is heroic." – Edward Albert On Sunday, Michigan reported three deaths related to COVID-19 and 146 new COVID-19 cases. Cases are declining and Michigan has been deemed one of the three states on track to contain COVID-19. Even though cases have declined, there’s still a lot we must improve on before a potential second wave. One of those things is better care in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. One-third of all COVID-19 deaths in Michigan occurred between residents and staff of the nursing homes across the state. We have 450 nursing homes in total. When COVID-19 first hit, many of these facilities were unprepared — not enough PPE and quality of care requirements. There’s two pieces of legislation I’ve worked on to address this. Both would put real money into nursing homes to help with quality of care and infection control. One of the bills would also promote home and community-based services and protect home health workers. Some of these provisions are in the Heroes Bill that passed the House and is now awaiting Senate action. Yes, the Senate needs to act. But you know what matters more than anything, seniors knowing someone cares about them. So as your new week begins, reach out to someone who needs a little compassion and kindness and needs to know someone cares. Later this week, I will return to Washington to vote on the Justice in Policing Act. This proposal would require significant reform. Among other things, it would mandate de-escalation training, ban chokeholds and other neck restraints, establish a national database to better track misconduct, and bring transparency and accountability to policing. All sides and parties must work together on this. That’s how we will bring tangible and real reform that keeps our communities safe. The New York Times reported two new studies that came out on how Federal aid and support (The CARES Act) helped prevent a massive rise in poverty. However, there are still millions of Americans who are struggling. It’s on Congress to continue to provide help and renew a lot of the safety net programs put in place are set to expire soon. The Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program which adds $600/week to claims and is set to end July 31 is just one example. This is why House Democrats are calling on the Senate to pass the Heroes Act — it would reauthorize many of the safety net programs that have been put in place. This is about helping our friends, families, and loved ones. It’s about having continued help to those who are still struggling.
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. |
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