Newsletters
Small businesses are the heartbeat of our nation and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected them in an extraordinary way.
I come to Congress from a retail background, where your livelihood depends on face to face interaction. Though adjustments have been made to keep doors open for the better part of 2020, Central Texas business owners have been dealt a harsh blow with further uncertainty on the horizon.
This month in Los Angeles, our nation witnessed the war on police in action. Fervent calls to "defund the police" have now turned into eliminate the police at any and all costs. Onlookers stood by as an armed gunman approached a police vehicle and shot the two officers sitting inside. Protesters then showed up at the hospital where they were being treated and shouted, "I hope they f------ die."
How did we get to this point?
Our nation is facing a challenge unlike anything we've ever seen. There's no question that our way of life has been disrupted due to this invisible enemy and while there is no rule book on how to overcome a global pandemic in the modern era, I remain focused on providing the resources to restore, rebuild and renew the Texan way of life so we emerge stronger than ever.
It is crucial we ensure our rural health care systems have the freedom they need to provide the highest quality of care possible for their patients, now more than ever. The implementation of a detrimental government regulation, the Medicaid Fiscal Accountability Rule (MFAR), would have cost our state nearly $11 billion and resulted in a reduction of patient services, causing rural facilities to close their doors.
I stand with our brave service members and veterans who have undertaken tremendous tasks to guarantee the safety and security of the American people. The American story is nothing without our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen, who in spite of great odds, have always answered the call to serve.
Throughout the course of COVID-19, telehealth flexibilities have tremendously helped both patients and providers, allowing for greater access to care. This technology is crucial now more than ever as doctors and physicians have had to adapt to video screenings as opposed to face to face visits due to the virus.
Over 51 million jobs nationwide were supported by the Paycheck Protection Program, including 58,000 in our district, and I'm proud to have supported this successful program the CARES Act. This funding is crucial to ensuring Main Street America can continue driving our economy during and after the pandemic as we move forward.
Fentanyl and synthetic opioid overdoses caused over 50,000 deaths last year alone in the United States and they continue to scourge communities nationwide. This epidemic is personal and doesn't discriminate based on age, location or wealth – it tears families apart and will keep plaguing our nation until we are able to eradicate it completely.
I will continue prioritizing relief for our families and every sector of our economy as we work together to recover and rebound from COVID-19. Ensuring our TX-25 students have the resources to stay healthy is crucial to keeping our nation moving forward. I was grateful for the opportunity this week to meet with leadership from Southwestern Adventist University along with Keene community leaders, including Mayor Gary Heinrich and Police Chief Brad Hunt.
There's an ongoing crisis in the United States, but contrary to the Democrats' latest rallying cry, it's not the United States Postal Service (USPS). It's the COVID-19 relief package that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her enablers are holding hostage in spite of continued cries from small businesses and families across the nation.