 Friend, In an encouraging display of bipartisanship, my colleagues and I in Congress passed the CARES Act last week -- the largest relief package in American history -- and it was quickly signed into law. The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest challenges of our lifetime. Americans are anxious, people all across the country are struggling to make ends meet, our hospitals and medical professionals are being overwhelmed without adequate support, and local small business owners are worried about keeping the lights on. The CARES Act is designed to provide immediate relief through direct payments to families, enhanced unemployment insurance, $150 billion for our nation's hospitals, a $350 billion forgivable loan initiative for small businesses, and much more. This bill is the most significant distribution of money in human history, and American taxpayers deserve and expect transparency and accountability. That is why I authored legislation to establish a bipartisan congressional commission and a special Inspector General to provide oversight and controls, and am pleased my proposal was included in the bill we passed. These are unprecedented times, and difficult days are ahead. But my colleagues came together, put partisan differences aside, and united to provide crucial aid to Americans from coast to coast. Such cooperation makes me hopeful about the future, and I know our best days are in front of us. In the meantime, I have your back and will carry your stories, challenges, ideas, and hopefulness directly to Congress as we navigate our country through the crisis. We are in this together, and we will get through it together. Keep the faith, and remember; optimism is just as contagious as fear. -Dean |
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