Dear John,

First, I hope you and your family are in good health. I have been hard at work fighting for Long Island workers, small businesses and families. Here are some updates on what has been going on in our community the past few days.

Two more COVID-19 testing locations are headed to our Congressional District, thanks to Rite Aid which is offering these tests starting this week FREE OF CHARGE. These two locations will be at 229 Independence Plaza in Selden and 803 Montauk Highway in Shirley. Appointments can be made using the link here.

Frontline workers are doing their jobs. Congress should be in session doing the same. I had a great 3+ hour meeting with the President Friday at the White House to primarily discuss coronavirus response and one thing in particular especially stood out to me. If anyone in top leadership in Congress believes that Congress is not essential, they should step aside. If any Member of Congress believes they are non-essential, they should step aside. We aren't elected to govern by proxy, go AWOL, or be silent. Lead or get out of the way.

As Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I have called for the full committee to do its job investigating China and the origins of coronavirus. I explained why last night with Mark Levin on "Life, Liberty, and Levin."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted Emergency Use Authorization of an experimental coronavirus treatment, Remdesivir, that has been successful thus far during tests in shortening the recovery time for COVID-19 patients from 15 days to 11 days. The drug is being manufactured by Gilead and two of these clinical tests were performed by the research department of Northwell Health in March. The company has donated its entire supply to the federal government to be distributed based on need and is expected to have 1 million prescriptions available by the end of the year.

Fishermen are a vital part of Long Island's economy and have put food on our table over the course of generations. Right now, these fishermen are struggling to put food on their own table as COVID-19 has hit this industry particularly hard. $6 million in federal aid for our local fishermen was announced this past week, which is very important, but more support will be needed. Most importantly, they want to get back to work and need to get back to work.

This is National Nurses Week, and this year, Americans are more grateful for these front line warriors than ever before. Our nurses have always put others first, healing the sick and protecting public health long before the COVID-19 crisis ever emerged, but this year, they should be most appreciated beyond words.

Over the past several weeks, we have all made sacrifices for the health of our community. With the hospitalization rate continuing to drop, we can now see a light at the end of this tunnel. We need to get through this as fast as possible as one community and country.

Be Well, Best Wishes, and Stay Healthy,