Debbie's Blog
Dingell Update: September 29, 2020
Washington,
September 29, 2020
Here is an update for September 29th.
Thought of the day: “We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.” –William Hazlitt Great news! On Thursday, October 1 the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge grounds will open to the public. This has been long-time coming, but I’m thrilled the day is here and now the whole community can take advantage of this very special place. After decades, and the incredibly hard work of many, the grounds of Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge Gateway will open every Thursday through Sunday during daylight hours. We still have work to be done, volunteers will be trained, the visitor center will be opened down the road. But for now - being at the refuge truly reinforces one’s appreciation of the outdoors, and I hope everyone can visit soon. You can read more about the opening here.
Michigan added 1,305 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 8 deaths. That brings the total number of confirmed cases to 122,735 with 6,731 deaths. These increases tell everyone that we need to be careful. All of us. As numbers increase, so does community spread. Masks, distance, and hand washing help stop the spread. Some good news is the past two weeks of data suggest Black patients now make up a proportional number of COVID cases. African Americans make up 15% of Michigan’s population. In the early days of tracking COVID, Black patients were a staggering 29% of cases and 40% of deaths. Health disparities among Black Michiganders are real but they aren’t set in stone. We can work together as Gov. Whitmer and Lt. Gov. Gilchrist have to reduce disparities and equitably distribute resources. This week, House Democrats unveiled an updated Heroes Act to address the health and economic catastrophe in our country. These updates make good on our promise to compromise while addressing the immediate health and economic crisis facing Americans right now. Lives and livelihoods have been turned upside down and Congress must be responsive to the times. The updated Heroes Act provides strong support for small businesses, economic assistance directly to unemployed workers and direct payments, strengthens housing and food assistance, expands testing, tracing, and treatments, and gives assistance directly to state, local, territorial, and tribal governments who desperately need funds to pay vital workers such as first responders and health care workers. There will be more in the coming days, but there are urgent needs across the country – we must work with everyone and get this bill passed in an urgent manner. 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 Arabic language resources مصادر اللغة العربية • عزل COVID-19 والحجر الصحي • صحيفة وقائع COVID-19 • COVID-19 ما تحتاج إلى معرفته عن • اغسل يديك 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. Click here to be removed from this list. |
Stay Connected