We Are In This Together
Fellow Hoosiers: We are passing through a painful period one we never imagined we’d live through, one we will never forget. The coronavirus has not spared our state thousands are sick, hundreds of loved ones lost. As dire as it is to say, these numbers will grow.
It’s not only the infected that this pandemic has hurt. The coronavirus is robbing so many Hoosiers of their ability to earn a living; it’s taking away businesses they worked for decades to build. Many of the people and places that bring life to our neighborhoods and downtown squares have disappeared without warning.
Our farmers can’t postpone planting season even in the face of falling prices and fewer buyers. New anxieties are everywhere. Routines are upended. Our children are wondering when they will see their friends again, why their graduations were canceled.
It’s difficult not to feel hopeless or afraid.
Help is on the way though.
Congress is sending every necessary support to workers and employers, and much needed supplies to medical professionals and hospitals. We are also removing red tape to help our economy withstand this virus and speed medical innovations to treat and eventually cure it.
But though our government a government “of the people” is sending relief and will continue to do so, it’s our citizens who are leading the fight outside of government. We are showing a spirit that is uniquely American and Hoosier. We have the grit to say the hell with this virus, and the heart to protect one another from it.
We are not just passively letting it run its course we are doing our parts and together we will pass through this.
Last week, I delivered a speech to the Sagamore Institute commending the Hoosier communities, businesses, and individuals who have stepped up to help their neighbors during the coronavirus pandemic, and outlining my vision on how to overcome this challenging time.
Click HERE or the image below to watch the speech.
Coronavirus Congressional Group to Reopen America
I’ve been selected by President Donald Trump to serve on the Opening Up America Again Congressional Group to provide counsel to the President on the re-opening of America in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
American families, workers, and job creators have suffered immensely as a result of the coronavirus. In Congress, we acted in an unprecedented fashion with broad bipartisan support to send aid to those who are hurting through no fault of their own. Now we must carefully examine how to safely and effectively re-open our economy and get our people back to work while heeding the guidance of public health experts. I’m grateful that President Trump has asked me to join this task force, and I look forward to working with him and my colleagues in Congress to safely get our country back to work.
New “Get My Payment” Tool from the IRS
Last week, the IRS launched the “Get My Payment” tool to help individuals check on the status of their economic impact payment and enter payment information. Not only will this tool provide people with the status of their payment it will also allow eligible individuals to provide their bank account direct deposit information so they can receive their payment faster, rather than waiting for a paper check. EIPs for Hoosiers receiving Social Security benefits, Railroad benefits, or VA benefits will be deposited into the same account without needing to provide the IRS with any information. Click here to learn more.
Paycheck Protection Program Funding Lapse
The Paycheck Protection Program has helped tens of thousands of Hoosier businesses make it through this challenging time and keep their employees on payroll. According to the Small Business Administration, 35,990 Paycheck Protection Program loans have been approved in Indiana totaling nearly $7.5 billion.
But, there are countless more still in need of assistance. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s refusal to provide additional funding for this bipartisan program is indefensible. I will continue fighting on behalf of Indiana to ensure this program has the funding it needs to protect Hoosier paychecks.
Today, I led a letter requesting that the SBA allow lenders to continue processing Paycheck Protection Program applications to help alleviate the already developing backlog that will be problematic once additional funding is approved. This program is one of the most critical measures of financial relief for small businesses. Click here to learn more.
To all Hoosiers needing additional help please contact my office, email: [email protected], or view my coronavirus assistance toolkit.
$96 Million for Indiana’s Airports from CARES Act
The coronavirus outbreak has brought the travel industry to a near standstill. Federal assistance will keep our airports and aviation industry running, not just for travel, but for the ability to ship food, supplies, and other essential resources. The CARES Act has made $96,523,889 available to help Hoosier airports remain operational and maintain employees as we continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic.
More on this from the News Sentinel and the Journal Gazette.
Coronavirus Response Update with Governor Holcomb
Last week, I joined Governor Holcomb and State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box for an update on our federal and state coronavirus response efforts.
At the state level, the Governor and his team have shown exceptional leadership. They’ve been in constant, regular, and clear communication with the people of Indiana. And the Governor has allowed public health experts to strongly inform policy responses, and I think that’s essential as we focus on keeping every Hoosier household safe and secure so that we can get on the back end of this virus as quickly as possible and return to some semblance of normalcy, which I know is their emphasis.
Click here or on the image above to watch the full press conference.
Request for Information on WHO’s Role in Helping China Cover Up Coronavirus
I sent a letter requesting information ahead of a Congressional hearing to investigate the World Health Organization’s role in helping the Chinese Communist Party cover up information regarding the threat of the coronavirus. These acts will not be tolerated and the actions to cover up critical information with regard to coronavirus has been detrimental to response efforts across the globe.
As Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Multilateral Institutions, which has jurisdiction over the WHO, I also recently sent a letter to the WHO Director General calling on him to appear before my subcommittee for a hearing on the WHO’s response to coronavirus.
Clearing a Path For American Involvement In 5G Standard Setting
Last week, I joined a letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, urging their departments to issue regulations as soon as possible to confirm that U.S. participation in 5G standards-setting is not restricted by export control regulations.
It is critical for U.S. companies to participate fully in these standards-setting bodies to ensure that their technologies are represented in the standards. When U.S. export controls restrict U.S. companies from participating in standards-setting bodies, China-based Huawei is well positioned to fill any gaps. As the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States has said, any restrictions that hinder U.S. participation in 5G standards-setting bodies “would leave an opening for China to expand its influence on the 5G standard-setting process,” a result that “would have substantial negative national security consequences for the United States.”
Constituent Spotlight
Olio was developed to help acute-care and post-acute-care medical providers more easily collaborate on shared patients. Last week, I had the opportunity to hear from this Indiana startup on how they are managing the influx of patients due to coronavirus.
This system is currently in use in 22 hospitals in Central and Southern Indiana and 197 nursing homes across the state to coordinate patient care and reduce the further spread of the outbreak. Learn more here.
Social Media Recap
|
