U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines highlighted several priorities he is working on to be included in the Senate’s Phase Four COVID-19 Relief Package.
“We need to come together, in a bipartisan effort, to continue to prioritize public health and get our economy going again in the wake of this coronavirus pandemic,” Daines said. “As the Senate is set to debate the next COVID-19 relief package, I will be pushing for critical priorities including more funding for a COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutic drugs, relief for our very small businesses and workers, resources for our healthcare providers and support for our families and children. Together, we can protect our public health, rebuild our economy, create jobs, and support our small businesses, workers, families and healthcare providers.”
Daines is pushing for several priorities in the Phase Four COVID-19 Relief Package including:
- More funding for COVID-19 vaccine development aka “Operation Warp Speed”
- Daines was instrumental in securing $10 billion in the CARES Act to accelerate the development and manufacturing of drugs to treat and prevent COVID-19.
- Funding for healthcare providers and hospitals
- Daines is working to ensure Montana hospitals and healthcare providers have the resources needed to combat COVID-19, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and testing supplies.
- Targeted relief for very small businesses
- Daines is pushing for his bipartisan bill with Senator Booker, the RELIEF for Main Street Act to be included.
- Daines’ bipartisan bill provides relief for very small businesses with fewer than 20 employees or 50 employees in low income areas.
- Nursing Homes
- Daines is pushing to provide nursing homes and assisted living facilities with resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and protect our most vulnerable Montanans.
- Support Jobs and Workforce Training
- Daines is pushing to include his bill to help get Montanans and Americans back to work and prepare them for the post-COVID-19 economy.
- Payroll Tax Relief
- Daines is pushing to temporarily suspend the payroll tax so Montana workers can keep more of what they earned.
- Indian Country Parity
- Daines is working to ensure Indian Country is treated equally with regards to any state/local funding.
- Postal Service
- Daines is working to ensure the United States Postal Service (USPS) has the funding needed to keep their operations afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic and PPE to protect Postal workers. The USPS is critical for Montanans.
- Education & Childcare
- Daines is pushing to provide robust funding and support for schools to ensure they are able to open safely in the fall and provide funding to ensure that parents have the child care services needed to go back to work.
- Ag
- Daines is working to provide additional support for agriculture and commodities impacted by low prices and supply chain challenges due to the pandemic.
Background:
Daines has been leading the efforts in Congress to respond to the coronavirus outbreak impacting the country. To read about Daines’ COVID-19 related efforts, click HERE.
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