4th of July COVID Updates from Congressman Ted Deutsch
Dear Friend,
As we head into the Independence Day holiday, I wanted to provide you with a brief update on the ongoing COVID-19 response and recent action in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Unfortunately, the rising number of cases across the state, including significant outbreaks in South Florida, means that our beaches will be closed over the 4th of July holiday. I know it is hard to be apart from family and friends for so long, especially over a holiday weekend.
But now is the time to redouble our efforts to keep our families and community safe. Despite progress toward better treatment protocols and a safe and effective vaccine, keeping distance from other people is still the most effective way to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
If you can, stay home. If you go out, please remember to keep at least six feet away from others in public and wear a mask when social distancing is not possible. Wash your hands frequently or use hand sanitizer when soap and water are unavailable.
The pandemic may have altered our holiday plans, but it should not prevent us from celebrating what Independence Day represents. Our nation was founded on the radical belief that every person has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The strength of the United States is our relentless pursuit of that ideal. We are one country, and together we will get through this.
Below you will find updates and helpful resources about the COVID-19 response and relief efforts as well as recent action in Congress.
Happy Fourth!
Nightly Facebook Live Updates
Every evening I'll be live on Facebook giving you a daily update on our coronavirus response and highlighting some local leaders doing their part to help our community manage through this crisis.
Visit my Facebook page at 7:00 p.m. Monday – Thursday and at 5:00 p.m. Friday to watch and join the conversation.
Florida Department of Health
The latest COVID-19 information from the Florida Department of Health is available here.
County Rules and Resources
In Broward County, you can review Frequently Asked Questions about closures and mask requirements here. Call this hotline to have your questions answered: 954-357-9500.
A full list of Broward County COVID-19 testing sites is available here.
To prevent rolling back reopening requirements the county is asking residents to report business violations of social distancing rules by calling 3-1-1.
In Palm Beach County, you can review Frequently Asked Questions about mask requirements here. Information and copies of the county’s emergency orders are available here. Call this information line with your questions: 561-712-6400.
A full list of Palm Beach County COVID-19 testing sites is available here.
To report violations of emergency orders in Palm Beach County call 561-24COVID or e-mail covidcompliance@pbcgov.org.
Legislative Updates
COVID-19 Pandemic Response:
Heroes Act (H.R. 6800)
House Democrats quickly went to work on the next stage of coronavirus relief legislation and passed the Heroes Act on May 15. The bill has not yet been taken up by the Senate.
The Heroes Act:
Honors our heroes by providing nearly $1 trillion to state, local, territorial and tribal governments to pay vital workers like first responders, health workers, and teachers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.
Establishes a Heroes’ Fund with $200 billion to ensure that essential workers who have risked their lives working during the pandemic receive hazard pay.
Supports testing, tracing and treatment by providing another $75 billion for contact tracing and isolation measures and to ensure every American can access free coronavirus treatment.
Provides additional direct assistance with a second round of economic impact payments of $1,200 per family member, up to $6,000 per household.
Extends federal unemployment benefits of $600 through January 2021.
Ensures worker safety by directing OSHA to require that all workplaces develop and implement infection control plans based on CDC expertise.
Supports small businesses and nonprofits by strengthening the Payroll Protection Program to reach underserved communities and nonprofits of all sizes and types and provides $10 billion for emergency grants through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.
Preserves health coverage for Americans who have lost their employer-provided health insurance with COBRA subsidies and by creating a special ACA enrollment period for uninsured Americans.
Bolsters housing assistance, helping struggling families afford a safe place to live with $175 billion to help renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments, and other housing-related costs.
Strengthens food security with a 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families put food on the table.
Safeguards our democracy with new resources to ensure safe elections, an accurate Census, and preserve the Postal Service.
The Heroes Act provides local communities on the frontlines of this crisis with robust, desperately needed funding to cover coronavirus-related outlays and revenue loss and pay our health care workers, police, fire, transportation, EMS, teachers and other vital workers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.
An analysis prepared by the Congressional Research Service estimates that the Heroes Act will provide $26.6 billion over two years in state funding for Florida in addition to urgently needed funding for FL-22 communities, including:
• Broward County - $1.124 billion over two years;
• Palm Beach County - $843 million over two years;
• Fort Lauderdale - $113 million over two years;
• Pompano Beach - $74 million over two years;
• Boca Raton - $32.2 million over two years; and
• Coral Springs - $57 million over two years.
The Heroes Act builds on the bipartisan efforts Congress took to respond to the COVID-19 crisis through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (H.R. 748), Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 266).
Other Updates from Congress:
Policing Accountability and Reform:
On June 25, the House passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a comprehensive plan to:
1) address racial bias in law enforcement;
2) mandate data collection, including body cameras and dashboard cameras;
ban chokeholds;
3) end the qualified immunity doctrine that is a barrier to holding police officers accountable for wrongful conduct; and
4) establish new standards for policing.
Expanding Access to Health Care Amid the Pandemic:
On June 29, the House passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act to make health coverage more affordable for 13 million Americans and expand Medicaid eligibility to an additional 4 million Americans. The bill would expand on previous efforts to bring down drug prices by allowing federal programs to negotiate drug prices, address racial health disparities, crack down on junk insurance plans, and strengthen protections for Americans with pre-existing conditions.
Rebuilding Infrastructure to Move America Forward:
On July 1, 2020, the House passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act. The bill is a $1.5 trillion plan to rebuild roads, bridges, transit systems, schools, housing, and broadband access.
Florida’s economy and quality of life is highly dependent on our highways, air and seaports, bridges, levees, and inland water ways. This bill will prioritize repairs to structurally deficient bridges and speed up Army Corps of Engineer projects to benefit our economy and protect our communities from severe weather. It would also strengthen our energy supply for both the short and long term by investing in clean, renewable energy.
Solving the Climate Crisis
On June 30, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released its report Solving the Climate Crisis to provide a roadmap for reforms that will grow the economy, improve Americans’ health, and help get the United States to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Among the report's recommendations are proposals I introduced in Congress, including:
1) The Marine Energy Research and Development Act to promote marine and hydrokinetic energy programs as clean and cost-effective energy sources.
2) The Climate Change Resiliency Fund for America Act, which would create federal bonds to fund climate change resiliency projects like flood control, structural fortification, wildfire prevention, desalination plants, cooling centers, and more; and
3) Incentives to reorient our energy production away from fossil fuels and toward renewable energy sources, like my plan to put a price on carbon for energy companies and returning the revenue back to American families in monthly dividends.
To stay up to date on my work in the U.S. House of Representatives and the latest COVID-19 resources, please visit my website at Deutch.house.gov.
Please call my office at 561-470-5440 if we can be of any assistance. You can also follow my updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.
Happy Fourth!Ted Deutch