Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 4, 2020

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Mountain Views-News Saturday, April 4, 2020 


CHU STATEMENT ON THIRD CORONAVIRUS 
RELIEF PACKAGE

 The House of Representatives last week 
passed H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, 
Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) 
Act. This $2 trillion bill is the third relief 
package passed by Congress in response to 
the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill includes 
$200 billion for hospitals, health systems, 
and health research, including funding 
for personal protective equipment (PPE). 
It also provides for longer unemployment 
insurance with an additional $600 each 
week per recipient for up to four months, 
and also provides direct payments of 
$1200 to individuals and an extra $500 
per child. Businesses would receive a 
temporary refundable payroll tax credit 
to keep their employees on payroll under 
this bill, and would also be eligible for 
grants and loan forgiveness from the Small 
Business Administration. Additionally, the 
CARES act provides eviction protection 
for Americans with federal-backed 
mortgage loans, and protection for renters 
whose building has a federal loan, and 
pauses federal student loan payments, 
and ensures that relief for corporations 
could not be used on stock buybacks or 
CEO salaries. Rep. Judy Chu issued the 
following statement:

 “The coronavirus pandemic has upended 
our country. And it is demanding sacrifices 
of all of us. Businesses have had to shut 
their doors, threating the livelihoods of 
millions. Parents have had to double as 
teachers while schools are closed. And all 
of us have been asked to socially distance 
and stay home in order to flatten the curve 
and help our healthcare workers contain 
this threat. This is an unprecedented 
national response unseen outside of times 
of war. And I am so moved by the unity on 
display in the San Gabriel Valley and across 
the country as we all do our part to help 
defeat this virus. That includes Congress. 
As the coronavirus arrived in America, we 
provided $8.3 billion in emergency funds 
to increase testing, combat the virus, and 
help small businesses. We followed that 
with a second package to provide family 
and sick leave, so that those who need 
to miss work to care for themselves or a 
loved one do not have to risk losing their 
jobs or their homes. And today, we passed 
the largest economic recovery bill in our 
history to help the country through this 
time.

 “Our first priority must be to end this 
crisis as soon as possible so the country can 
get back to work. For that to happen, we 
need to get supplies and funds to hospitals, 
clinics, and healthcare providers. Last 
week, I convened a call with healthcare 
providers from the San Gabriel Valley, and 
every single one of them called for more 
masks and personal protective equipment 
(PPE) so they can do their jobs and care 
for the sick. And so I am pleased that 
today’s bill includes $200 billion to help 
our nation’s healthcare infrastructure rise 
to meet this need.

 “Next, we have to support families and 
workers. Nobody should be forced to work 
if they’re sick or if a family member needs 
them. But many others are losing their jobs 
through no fault of their own. For these 
workers, paid leave is no longer helpful. 
They need direct assistance. And so today’s 
bill provides $1,200 in direct to individuals, 
and another $500 per child up to a certain 
income threshold. That’s in addition to 
increased unemployment insurance (UI), 
which has been extended by 13 weeks, with 
an additional $600 a week for the next 4 
months. This guarantees that workers here 
in the San Gabriel Valley and across the 
country can keep themselves fed and pay 
their rent during this pandemic. This bill 
also includes billions in grants for Small 
Businesses, support for schools and those 
with student loans, and protections to help 
people avoid eviction or foreclosure from 
their homes.

 “Those worker protections also guided 
Democrats to pressure Republicans to add 
transparency and limitations on corporate 
bailouts. Any corporation receiving a 
bailout loan is prohibited from buying 
back its own stocks for until one year 
after they have repaid their loan. We also 
fought for and secured worker protections, 
such as prohibiting outsourcing and 
honoring existing collective bargaining 
agreements We have also secured real-
time public reporting of these bailouts 
and an independent Inspector General for 
Pandemic Recovery to provide oversight of 
these loans to protect taxpayer dollars.

 “This bill is not perfect. I’m disappointed 
that Republicans used a pandemic as 
an opportunity to expand the Hyde 
Amendment, denying essential healthcare 
to women just when we should be bolstering 
our healthcare infrastructure. This bill did 
not close the gaps in our paid family and 
medical leave laws, which we must do to 
ensure that no one goes to work sick for 
fear of being fired, and that everyone has 
the ability to stay home and take care of an 
ill loved one. And I’m deeply disappointed 
that this bill does not include the same 
assistance and coverage for immigrants 
that it does for citizens. This virus does 
not care about immigration status, it 
does not discriminate based on who has 
health insurance and who does not. But, 
ultimately, this is bipartisan, timely, and 
targeted. I’m proud we could work so 
quickly to put money into the hands of 
workers and families as we all join together 
to defeat coronavirus, and I will continue 
to fight to ensure that everyone has access 
to the healthcare and relief efforts we all 
need in order to weather this storm.”

LOS ANGELES COUNTY OPENS NEW DRIVE-UP 
TESTING SITES

The County of Los Angeles is partnering with cities across the county to develop a 
network of drive-up, mobile testing sites. They are also helping increase resources for 
local health centers who have begun testing for COVID-19, and are integrating them 
into the countywide network.

Currently, County-City partnerships have been established based on capacity and geographic 
locations. The following locations have started (or will soon begin) testing for 
COVID-19:

• High Desert Medical Group (Lancaster) - As of 4/1 

• Glendale Memorial Hospital (Glendale) - As of 4/1 

• Pomona Fairplex (Pomona) - As of 4/3 

• Antelope Valley Mall (Palmdale) - As of 4/3 

• South Bay Galleria (Redondo Beach) - As of 4/3

The testing is by appointment only. Walk-up appointments are not available.

For the moment, these tests are strictly limited to residents of Los Angeles County who 
are in the most high-risk categories and most vulnerable.

Individuals eligible for testing at this time include:

• Those with symptoms who are 65 and older 

• Those with symptoms who have underlying chronic health conditions 

• Those who are subject to a mandatory 14-day quarantine period due to a confirmed 
COVID-19 exposure (with more than 7 days of quarantine remaining)

Anyone interested in getting tested must first register on the screening website. 

For more questions about testing, please visit the FAQ for answers to frequently asked 
questions.

SCHIFF PENS LETTER FOR RELIEF FOR 
ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY

 

 Rep. Adam Schiff and Members of Congress from Los Angeles and other entertainment 
hot-zones around the country penned a letter last week to Speaker of the House Nancy 
Pelosi and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urging relief for freelance and contract 
workers in the entertainment industry who have lost work because of coronavirus-related 
cancellations or postponements.

 “The unique freelance nature of work in film, television, theater, and live music means 
that a large number of the professionals who make these productions possible work only 
sporadically—often with extended periods between paying jobs—and count on income 
from each project to make ends meet,” the Members wrote in the letter. “As a result, many 
of them can’t qualify for traditional unemployment benefits or paid emergency leave, yet 
will now be unable to cover their basic expenses due to lost work.”

 The Members urged Congressional leadership to calculate benefits based on verifiable 
anticipated earnings for a current or future contract that has been cancelled, rather than 
prior wage history.

 “As Members representing many constituents who work in film, television, theater, 
and live music, we urge you to include protections for those who have lost work due to 
coronavirus-related cancellations and postponements in the entertainment industry,” the 
letter continues.


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