Rep. Susie Lee Hosts Second COVID-19 Telephone Town Hall

Las Vegas, Nev. - Today, U.S. Rep. Susie Lee (Nev.-03) hosted her second public health telephone town hall this week to address the COVID-19 pandemic and give her constituents accurate, up-to-date information on what is being done to help protect American families, workers, and small businesses.

Rep. Lee was joined by Nevada State Treasurer Zach Conine, Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) Acting District Health Officer Dr. Fermin Leguen, Clark County School District Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara, UNLV Infectious Disease Epidemiologist Dr. Brian Labus, and Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones.

Rep. Lee released the following statement after concluding her second COVID-19 telephone town hall:

"Nevada always emerges from tough situations stronger than ever, and this pandemic will be no different. This is my second tele-town hall this week, and I'm going to continue holding remote events like today's so my constituents and the public have access to up-to-date information on the steps we're taking in Nevada and in Congress to protect the health and well-being of all Americans.

"Congress has now passed two robust COVID-19 funding packages to get immediate relief to our families, workers, health care professionals, and small businesses. Our work is by no means over, and we're working right now on additional relief packages to prepare our country for the economic and public health challenges coming down the pike.

"As the days move forward, it's going to be more and more important that we stick together, and that each of us do our part for the greater well-being of our communities. Thank you to everyone for pitching in to keep us safe. We'll make it through this."

BACKGROUND: For COVID-19 resources in southern Nevada, please visit Rep. Lee's website at susielee.house.gov.

Rep. Lee hosted her first COVID-19 tele-town hall on Tuesday, March 17. She was joined by Southern Nevada Health District Manager of Public Health Preparedness Jeff Quinn, City of Henderson Mayor Debra March, Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara, and Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, all of whom answered constituent questions and provided relevant, up-to-date information surrounding COVID-19 in southern Nevada.

On March 18, the U.S. Senate passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act after the House of Representatives passed the bill on March 14. This package includes:

• Free coronavirus testing - ensures that all individuals, including those with private insurance, Medicare Advantage or Original Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, VA, FEHBP, and TRICARE, as well as the uninsured, will have access to tests at no cost.
• Establishes paid leave - establishes an Emergency Paid Leave Program that replaces a significant share of lost wages so that those who take leave to avoid spreading the virus or due to illness or caregiving responsibilities can pay their bills.
• Enhanced Unemployment Insurance - gives states the resources and flexibility to provide unemployment benefits to laid off and furloughed workers, as well as to those workers who exhaust their allotted paid leave.
• Strengthened food security initiatives - includes more than $1 billion to provide nutritious foods to low-income pregnant women and mothers with young children, help food banks, and provide meals to seniors. It also protects students' access to school meals in the event of school closures.
• Clear protections for frontline workers, including health care workers and other workers who are in contact with those who have been exposed or are responsible for cleaning at-risk places.

Rep. Lee's bill, the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, passed as a provision in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which would ensure that workers have access to extended, job-protected leave to care for themselves and their families amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• The legislation significantly expands the number of U.S. workers who can take up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in the event of a quarantine, illness, or school closure related to COVID-19.

On Mar. 4, Congress overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan emergency supplemental appropriation bill of $8.3 billion to address COVID-19. The emergency supplemental provides $8.3 billion in entirely new funding—not funding taken from other critical public health priorities—to combat the coronavirus epidemic and keep Americans safe. It includes:

• More than $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics;
• $2.2 billion in public health funding for prevention, preparedness, and response, $950 million of which is to support state & local health agencies;
• Nearly $1 billion for procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, to support healthcare preparedness and Community Health Centers, and to improve medical surge capacity;
• $61 million to facilitate the development and review of medical countermeasures, devices, therapies, and vaccines, and to help mitigate potential supply chain interruptions;
• $1.25 billion to address the coronavirus abroad to help keep Americans safe here at home; and
• Allows for an estimated $7 billion in low-interest loans to affected small businesses, to help cushion the economic blow of this public health emergency.

On Feb. 28, Rep. Lee and a group of her congressional colleagues sent a letter to House and Senate leadership voicing support for the appropriation of comprehensive supplemental funding to address COVID-19. Follow the link to read the letter.

As a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus (PSC), Rep. Lee called for bipartisan cooperation across the country, congressional leadership, and the administration to combat COVID-19. Follow the link to read PSC's statement. Rep. Lee and PSC met with Vice President Mike Pence on Mar. 3 to discuss the spread and potential global impact of COVID-19.

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