Dear Friend,

I hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy during this difficult time. This pandemic has reached every state in the U.S. and taken nearly 140,000 American lives. Given the nature of this rapidly changing crisis, I want to share some updates on the current situation in California and resources to help everybody weather this storm together.

Statewide and County Shutdowns 

In recent weeks, as the economy began to slowly reopen, cases and hospitalizations surged. Which is why, on July 13, in order to better contain the coronavirus, Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide order to close many indoor business operations and additional indoor operations in 30 counties, including Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties.  

The statewide indoor operation closures include dine-in restaurants, wineries and tasting rooms, movie theaters, family entertainment centers, zoos and museums, and cardrooms. Bars, brewpubs, breweries and pubs are required to close all operations. For the latest from the state, please visit covid.ca.gov.

The county-wide indoor operation closures impacting Los Angeles and San Bernardino Counties include gyms and fitness centers, places of worship, indoor protests, offices for nonessential sectors, personal care services, hair salons and barbershops, and indoor shopping malls. For the latest on county closures, please visit the websites for LA County and San Bernardino County.  

Small Business Relief 

Our businesses, workers, and families are paying a heavy price to help us contain the coronavirus. With the recent business closures, it is important for small businesses to have the resources to stay afloat and keep workers paid. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has a new application deadline of August 8, 2020, and I will be working with my colleagues in Congress to include robust small businesses support in an upcoming relief package. And small businesses are still eligible to apply for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), which provides up to $150,000 in no-fee, low-interest government financing to small business and nonprofits who have seen significant disruption in their business due to COVID-19.

If you or somebody you know has a small business impacted by COVID-19, please reach out to the Small Business Administration for more information HERE. If you are having problems applying for any of these programs, I encourage you to reach out to the experts at the Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) in Pasadena (pccsbdc.org or 626-585-3105) and La Verne (lavernesbdc.org or 909-448-1567). You can also call my office for assistance at 626-304-0110.

School Reopening 

One of the most important issues for many families is whether schools will reopen or continue distance learning in the fall. Reopening schools is critical, but forcing schools to reopen in dangerous conditions is unacceptable and will needlessly put the lives of students, parents, teachers, janitors, bus drivers, and many others at risk. 

Pasadena Unified Superintendent Brian McDonald has recommended the school district begin the school year with a 100% distance learning model, and the school board will vote on his recommendation on Thursday, July 16. Many school districts in the San Gabriel Valley are still weighing options between online, in-person, and hybrid models of learning, so please reach out to your local school district for the latest updates. I am confident that our local school districts will use science, evidence, and recommendations from public health experts to make informed decisions on behalf of their students, staff, and families. And as your representative, I will continue to support funding to help schools adapt to online learning and ensure our students can continue developing in a safe environment. 

That is why, on May 15, I voted to pass H.R. 6800, the Heroes Act, which would direct more than $100 billion in emergency education funding to help schools cover unexpected costs that are necessary to reopening safely, including purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning and sanitizing classrooms, and making special accommodations for high-risk students and educators. Additionally, on July 1, I joined my colleagues in the House to pass H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, which would invest $130 billion toward repairing and modernizing school facilities that endanger the health and safety of students and school staff. These bills are currently under consideration in the Senate, and I am committed to fighting for additional school funding in any future COVID-19 relief package.

Unemployment and Rental Assistance

Federal unemployment benefits are set to expire on July 31, despite being a lifeline to millions of Americans who are unable to return to work to no fault of their own. It is imperative that we extend unemployment benefits past this deadline. The Heroes Act would further help those in our community who are struggling to make ends meet by extending federal unemployment benefits through January 31, 2021. This would include $600 per week in federal assistance to all unemployment recipients, including self-employed and gig workers.

Additionally, no one in this country should have to fear being evicted, or have to choose between paying their rent and putting food on the table. The Heroes Act would authorize $175 billion in funding to states, territories, counties, cities, and tribes to help renters and homeowners cover their rent payments, mortgages, utilities, and other housing related costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill would also extend the current 120-day eviction and foreclosure moratorium under the CARES Act to a 12-month moratorium and expand it to include all renters and homeowners.

Testing

I’m pleased to say that testing has greatly expanded in the San Gabriel Valley, but we still must drastically increase our testing capabilities to understand the spread of the virus in our community. If passed by the Senate, the Heroes Act would provide an additional $75 billion for COVID-19 testing and contact tracing, which will be especially necessary if we continue to reopen parts of our economy, including schools. 

If you have symptoms, or believe you have been exposed to the virus, please call your doctor for further guidance. For additional information on the accessibility of testing in our area, please visit the testing websites for LA County and San Bernardino County.  Testing is free for everyone and testing appointments can usually be made within a few days. 

The health and safety of you and your loved ones is of the utmost importance. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to call my Pasadena office at (626) 304-0110 or my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-5464. 

Sincerely,

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