Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
This year, Dr. Martin Luther King’s life and legacy are especially poignant and inspiring. Through trial and tribulation, his words and deeds remind us of our duty to more perfectly unify, to more perfectly realize his beautiful Dream. Over the last year, Americans of all colors and creeds have struggled to reclaim control over their lives and remain part of intimate communities. Together, each of us must do our part to heal our nation’s wounds, repair trust and rebuild our institutions, and heed Dr. King’s call to serve as “custodians of hope”.
Click here to read my full statement.
Community Hospital in Munster Administering COVID-19 Vaccines
On Wednesday, I had the opportunity to visit the Community Hospital in Munster to tour the COVID-19 vaccine clinic and meet with the health care professionals working hard to vaccinate Hoosiers in their area. To date, they have administered more than 10,000 vaccines to eligible individuals.
Right now, health care workers, first responders, and Hoosiers over age 70 are able to register for the vaccine. I encourage all Hoosiers who are able to get the vaccine to do so. Learn more about the vaccine and how to make an appointment if you are in one of the currently eligible categories: https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/vaccine/.
Illegal PPP Loans to Planned Parenthood
Last week, I joined 29 other senators on a letter urging U.S. Small Business Administrator Jovita Carranza to prevent Planned Parenthood affiliates from receiving illegal loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as they did last year. Planned Parenthood affiliates are well aware that they are ineligible to receive PPP loans. Their attempts to apply for PPP loans were naked attempts to defraud the United States government. Click here to learn more.
Connecting with the Business Community in Elkhart and Northwest Indiana
I joined the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce and the Northwest Indiana Forum last week to discuss the recently passed coronavirus recovery package. This package has critical funding that will help many Hoosier small businesses stay afloat during this time of uncertainty. I am proud that we were finally able to get this necessary relief out to Hoosier businesses. To learn more about the Paycheck Protection Program Second Draw loans, click here.
Condemning the Houthi Designation in Yemen
Are we living up to our principles by helping to ease the suffering of the innocent in Yemen? And are we helping to advance our national security by taking steps to end, rather than exacerbate, the conflict?
Last week’s decision by the State Department to designate the entire Houthi movement in Yemen as a Foreign Terrorist Organization accomplishes neither.
I believe that this designation will further destabilize a war torn country, which is already the home of Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, cut off our ability to continue negotiations toward peace, and will force the many NGOs in Yemen to stop providing lifesaving assistance in the country.
This designation comes at the worst possible time as it will prevent the critical delivery of food, medical supplies, and other items necessary to combat both COVID-19 and famine. Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian disaster, one that has been exacerbated by ill-advised policies by senior U.S. government officials in recent years. Creating new, additional obstacles to the delivery of food and medical aid — during a global pandemic — is not in the best interest of the United States, our regional allies and partners, or the people of Yemen.
I look forward to working with the incoming Administration to overturn this misguided decision.
Click here to read my full statement.
Social Media Recap
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