Dear Friend,

I’m writing to update you on the recent steps I’ve been taking as we respond to the coronavirus outbreak. On Friday, President Trump signed into law the latest coronavirus response legislation, which replenishes funds for several Small Business Administration (SBA) coronavirus relief programs that had run out of money. This bill was the result of bipartisan negotiations, and I’m proud that we were able to secure significant new resources for Virginia small businesses, as well as for additional coronavirus testing and for our hospitals and healthcare workers.

While I am glad funds are once again flowing to small businesses and workers through programs like the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the truth is these programs are still not fully being administered as Congress intended them. From tech problems with the application process, to loans going to big companies who have no business applying for these loans, there are significant problems that I am working to address, so we can get these resources to small businesses and their workers who need them most.

As we work through these challenges, my office stands ready to assist however we can. Below you will find resource guides my office has prepared to answer many of the frequently asked questions about federal coronavirus resources, as well as helpful links to apply for assistance and track your coronavirus stimulus check. If you or a loved one is experiencing an issue with the federal government and can’t find the information you need below, I encourage you to contact my office immediately.

Going forward, I am working to make sure that we provide help to folks who are struggling due to the coronavirus outbreak. Our first goal must be to prevent further job losses, as well as permanent disruptions like business closures, evictions, and foreclosures. Second, we must work quickly to reduce the economic uncertainty facing workers and small businesses. To do this, I have proposed a national paycheck security program that would guarantee the paycheck of every rank-and-file American worker, and I am hopeful that this proposal will be included in the next coronavirus response bill later this spring. 

I am also pushing for greater oversight, so that the funds we’ve already spent go to small businesses and their workers. We also need to get to the bottom of the shortages of personal protective equipment and coronavirus testing that are seriously hampering our efforts to defeat this virus. The Senate will be in session next week, and I think we ought to immediately hold oversight hearings to make sure the administration is following through on the new coronavirus response laws as Congress intended.

If you want to share your thoughts about an issue that’s important to you, you can send me an email any time using the form on my Senate website. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

P.S. For the latest on my work in the Senate on the coronavirus outbreak, please visit the Coronavirus Updates page on my website.