Dear West Virginian,

I’m glad to report that Congress is providing more relief for communities as we continue battling the coronavirus pandemic. Today, President Trump signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. This funding deal not only replenishes the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) but it also provides additional funding to hospitals and increases testing capabilities. Learn more in my interview with WV MetroNews’ Hoppy Kercheval.

This program has been extremely popular. In our state alone, recent SBA statistics show the PPP has already has already allowed more than 7,800 West Virginia small businesses to receive over $1.3 billion worth of loans [Source: SBA]. As a member of President Trump’s Congressional Economic Task Force, we’ve been working to get this program back up and running so we can deliver the resources our small businesses desperately need. I’m excited that even more people will have access to this program now that it’s been refunded.

If you’ve received a PPP loan and it’s made a difference for your small business, please let me know!

PPE Progress

Making sure our frontline workers have Professional Protective Equipment (PPE) has been a priority since Congress began response efforts. We had a slow start and learned a big lesson: we can’t depend on foreign countries like China or Germany in our supply chain for the critical resources.

However, we made meaningful progress. As of the beginning of the week, with the help of several American companies stepping up to the plate, the Trump administration has been able to deliver:

More than 10,000 ventilators to hospitals
55 million N95 masks
69 million surgical masks
5 million surgical gowns
Project Airbridge (airlifting supplies to U.S.) has completed 64 large cargo flights carrying over 600 million pieces of personal protective equipment.
Hard-hit states like New York, California, and Washington have actually been able to send excess ventilators to other areas in need thanks to a partnership organized by the Trump administration.
Our country has now tested over 18 million people and that number is rising every day!

Need Help During This Time? Let Me Know

Having trouble finding a PPP lender? Have questions about your individual relief check? I’m here to be your liaison to federal resources. Call my offices for more help!

Reopening the Country

As part of President Trump’s Congressional Economic Task Force, I’m eager to get our country back to work and our economy back to where it was. Every state is different and the president’s plan to reopen the country is meant to serve as a guideline. However, one thing is consistent across the board for all of us, and that is testing will be key to regaining the confidence our country needs to re-open. Ive been pushing hard to make sure we are increasing our testing capabilities and we have been successful in accomplishing this in West Virginia and across the country.

Opening the country isn’t going to happen overnight, but the plan President Trump unveiled this week is gradual and based on the advice of public health officials. Individual states and governors will have input as to when and where re-opening happens once they meet the criteria laid out by the White House. Every state is different and this will take time, but together, we will get there.

Learn more about the administration’s plan here and click here for my statement on the news regarding the Task Force.

REMINDER: Make Sure You Get Your Individual Check!

The IRS has now opened an online portal for lower-income individuals who are not required to file a tax return, have not filed tax returns for 2018 or 2019, and are not on Social Security retirement, Social Security disability (SSDI), or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to provide information in order to receive a stimulus check. Enter your information to track the status of your payment here.

Those who have filed a return for 2018 or 2019 or are on Social Security retirement, SSI, or SSDI do not need to do anything to receive their check.

However, if you’re on SSI and have dependents, you’ll need to fill out additional information to get the extra $500 per child.

Here’s a great Q&A page on the IRS site. If you have questions, check it out!

And here’s another good Q&A page that provides more details about your Economic Impact Payments (EIP).

Be Vigilant for Scammers!

Unfortunately, there are bad actors that are using this health crisis to take advantage of unsuspecting residents, especially our senior citizens. Please note the IRS WILL NOT call you and ask for your bank account information to deposit your individual relief check.

Check out my coronavirus webpage for more information about scams and what I’m doing to try and mitigate them.

Additional Resources

I created a page on my website with information and resources to keep you up-to-date on the coronavirus situation as it continues to evolve. Check out that page here, and please share with friends so they can keep up with the latest.

In addition to my webpage, I also want to make sure you know where to get the latest updates from the medical experts at CDC.gov and West Virginia DHHR.

I will continue doing my best to keep you up to speed on what we are doing here at the federal level to help and other resources that can be useful back at home. I will be posting regular updates on my Facebook and Twitter accounts, so be sure to follow me there.

Important Information If You’re Visiting DC

Because of coronavirus concerns, all Capitol and White House tours have been suspended indefinitely. Please contact our Washington office to reschedule. Additionally, requests for flags flown over the Capitol may be delayed, and access to the Capitol and House and Senate office buildings is being restricted. Feel free to contact our office at (202) 224-6472 with any questions. We apologize for any inconvenience.

In Case You Missed It

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearm, ammunition, hunting, and recreational shooting sports industry, named me their Legislator of the Year. Read my profile with them about my respect for the Second Amendment and my love of the West Virginia outdoors:

I’ve always been a supporter of Second Amendment rights of law-abiding gun owners for hunting, sport shooting, and self-defense. I’m proud to have led our successful effort to enact the Target Practice & Marksmanship Training Support Act into law. That legislation will enhance opportunities for Americans to participate in shooting sports. I will continue working alongside you to promote outdoor recreations, hunting, gun safety, and gun rights across our nation.

How Can We Help?

Whether you need help with a casework issue or have a question about scheduling a meeting at one of my offices, my staff and I are ready to assist you. Learn more about the services we offer at www.capito.senate.gov.

ou can also submit your feedback and share your stories with me by visiting my “Share Your Stories” webpage here: www.capito.senate.gov/ShareYourStories.

Social Media Recap

Join me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for regular updates and photos.

Sincerely,

Shelley Moore Capito

United States Senator