Next Coronavirus Bill Will Include Direct Aid to Texas Workers
I spoke on the Senate floor yesterday about the two laws Congress has passed to address the coronavirus pandemic and the next steps they are working on. Excerpts of my floor remarks are below, and downloadable audio and video can be found here.
Think about the waiter at your favorite local restaurant, the person who cuts your hair, the individual who sweeps the aisles after a basketball game, the housekeeper who cleans rooms at a hotel. They are among the millions of workers across the country who are trying to survive this new reality. Here in the Senate we're working as quickly as possible to support them.
The restaurants, the hardware stores, the salons, the gyms, and countless other small businesses operated by our neighbors are facing tough decisions. Over the last couple of days, I've talked about a number of my constituents, fellow Texans, who were experiencing hardship. One whose revenue is down about 60%. One who’s rotating her employees so each can at least get some work. One who's terrified that this could sink the business he's worked on for 25 years.
I wanted to assure all Texans that we are working as quickly as possible to find the best solutions. The centerpiece of the phase three deal will be that direct aid to American workers who have been displaced.
We're working to get our health care providers the resources and equipment they need to continue fighting this virus on the front lines.
I'm proud of the fact that when Texas faces a crisis, whether it's hurricanes or tornadoes that have devastated our state in recent years, Texans come together and support one another.
This is not a time for us to engage in business as usual. This is a time for us to come together in a new and very important but different way. Stay home, take this seriously, and we'll get through this together.