In the midst of one of the deadliest pandemics in the history of the United States, there has been at least one elected official who has truly led the charge and been on the frontlines of dealing with addressing this unprecedented COVID-19 virus – that elected official has been none other than U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18).
From the floor of the House, Congresswoman Jackson Lee took to the podium on May 14th and declared the following in support of one of the COVID-19 bills being considered:
“Universal testing for COVID-19 is a matter of life and death for millions of Americans, but it is also a salvation for millions of others who are living desperate lives behind locked doors.”
March 27 – Supporting the Senate Amendment to H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or ‘CARES Act’; the third bipartisan assistance and relief package passed by Congress, seeking to provide more than $2 trillion to address the adverse health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 23 – Supporting the Senate Amendment to H.R. 266, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act; an interim measure seeking to supplement the CARES Act, the assistance and relief package passed by Congress seeking to provide more than $2 trillion to address the adverse health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
If signed into law as currently presented, it would provide emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies; provided payments and other assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; provide additional direct stimulus payments of up to $1,200 per individual; expand paid sick days, family and medical leave, unemployment compensation, nutrition and food assistance programs, housing assistance, and payments to farmers; modify and expand the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides loans and grants to small businesses and nonprofit organizations; establish a fund to award grants for employers to provide pandemic premium pay for essential workers; expand several tax credits and deductions; provide funding and establishes requirements for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing; eliminate cost-sharing for COVID-19 treatments; extend and expand the moratorium on certain evictions and foreclosures; require employers to develop and implement infectious disease exposure control plans; as well as modify or expand a wide range of other programs and policies.
