March 27, 2020
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06) released the following statement after the House passed the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act):
“This coronavirus pandemic has already cost hundreds of Americans their lives, and millions more their livelihoods. In uncertain times, this legislation offers hope, helping American workers put food on the table and helping American businesses keep their lights on and their employees on the payroll.
This is a difficult time for America. We still have a lot more work to do, to protect our rural communities and strengthen our rural hospitals. By putting politics aside and working together, we will get through this. I’m confident that we will emerge from this a stronger, more resilient America.”
The CARES Act does the following:
- Sends direct checks to individual Americans of up to $1200.
- Provides grants and loans to small businesses to meet payroll and pay rent.
- Allows regulatory relief so banks can grant loan forbearance for otherwise healthy businesses struggling while business has been shut down.
- Rushes resources to hospitals, doctors and other front-line providers.
- Expands the use of Telehealth medicine to surge capacity and diagnose and treat patients in safe and faster environment.
- Provides liability protection for providers who volunteer.
- Allows Health Savings Accounts (HSA) to be used to purchase over the counter medicines.
Graves also voted in favor of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act which was signed into law on March 18, 2020.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provided:
- Funding to increase testing, support treatments, and invest in vaccine development
- Resources to purchase essential medical equipment/supplies, and for the CDC, NIH, and state and local response efforts
- Free testing for Americans that need to be tested
- Paid sick and medical leave for workers
- Emergency nutritional assistance
- Protections and relief for small businesses
- Increased access to telehealth
