Friends,

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic is here in Florida, and I'm hoping you and your family are taking care. It's going to be a difficult time for people, but I'm confident we'll get through it together. 

At times like these, it's important to keep yourself safe so that you can keep your community safe. Here are some things to keep in mind as you make it through the coming weeks:

* Wash your hands and avoid close personal contact. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, for at least 20 seconds each time. And maintain social distance to lower the risk of spreading the virus.
* Know the symptoms. Fever, cough or shortness of breath are all signs that you may have been exposed to the coronavirus. 
* If you have symptoms that you believe may be related to coronavirus or you've been in close contact with anyone who has those symptoms: Call your health care provider for information on what to do next. Make sure to call first so they can help you minimize the risk of exposing others to the virus. 

COVID-19 is a serious pandemic, friends. And, unfortunately, President Trump and his administration did not treat this pandemic with the seriousness it requires – for fear that admitting the scale of the danger would make the president look bad. But House Democrats have not waited – we're stepping up to provide urgent relief to American families. 

Last week, we passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to give Americans free testing, 14 days of paid emergency sick leave, expanded unemployment and food insurance, and more. I've also heard from many constituents who need their income tax returns to help provide for their families at this time – I've written to Treasury Secretary Mnuchin to urge that this gets done without delay. 

I am thankful for those employers who can and will continue to pay their employees at this critical time, but I'm extremely concerned about the thousands of small businesses that have already seen drastic decreases in revenue and are at risk of losing everything. I'll be making sure Congress does not leave business owners and their employees behind.

Right now, I'm doing my best to fight for what Floridians need most during this crisis, and in the coming weeks and months, I'll keep doing what's needed to help us weather this storm.

Thank you, and please take care.

Val



--------

This email was sent to [email protected].

To unsubscribe, please click here: [link removed]


----------------------------------------------
| Paid for by Val Demings for Congress |
----------------------------------------------

Val Demings for Congress
P. O. Box 536926
Orlando FL 32853 United States