Coronavirus Update: Ensuring No Oregonian Falls Through The Cracks

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House Speaker Tina Kotek

Coronavirus Update: Ensuring No Oregonian Falls Through The Cracks

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Governor Brown announced today that she will wait to call legislators back to Salem for a special session until more is known about how the $2 trillion federal relief package (CARES Act) will be implemented in Oregon. This federal support will be a critical part of Oregon’s coronavirus response and recovery strategy, so it’s important to understand how this new law will help the state.

This afternoon, I issued the following statement:

I strongly support the steps that Governor Brown has taken through her executive orders to control the spread of coronavirus and provide support to Oregonians reeling from the resulting financial instability. I know that the work of the Joint Special Committee on Coronavirus Response is being taken seriously and will help to inform her future actions. I am heartened by the spirit of bipartisanship that has driven the committee’s work, and I am confident that we will be prepared for a special session when the Governor chooses to call one.

In the meantime, I believe the legislature must use the tools available to us to help families and small businesses who are struggling right now. The Oregon Constitution provides the legislature with the immediate ability, through the Emergency Board, to allocate emergency funds to address urgent needs. These funds are limited, but they could be allocated strategically to provide some relief until the federal stimulus from the CARES Act reaches Oregonians’ pocketbooks.

All branches and levels of government need to pull together during difficult times. We can and should do more now to provide gap funding for essential needs like food and shelter while we wait for federal assistance. I will work to get more support to Oregonians through Emergency Board funding. I urge my colleagues to support this effort and find ways to make sure no Oregonian falls through the cracks during this crisis.


The CARES Act will ultimately help a lot of Oregonians. From expanded unemployment benefits to small business loans to money directly into personal bank accounts, we need the CARES Act to be a game changer. But we know that much of this relief will take time to make an impact. For example, reporting today indicates that stimulus checks to individuals and families may take longer to arrive than anticipated.

This is why I believe legislators must act swiftly to get as much essential support out as they can to Oregonians who need help now. Convening the Emergency Board is something we should do as soon as possible.


The Latest News

  • Governor Brown announced a statewide initiative to help small businesses. The new Coronavirus Small Business Resource Navigator includes a hotline and a website featuring comprehensive information on key programs for small businesses.
  • Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is making over $32 million in grants available to communities in Oregon to support a variety of social services and homelessness assistance programs in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, this will be the first installment of absolutely necessary support for housing and homelessness.
  • The Oregon Health Authority announced 90 new diagnosed cases of coronavirus, bringing the statewide total to 826. Tragically, two more individuals have died, meaning there have been 21 deaths in Oregon from coronavirus.

Update on Unemployment Benefits

In yesterday’s newsletter, I provided updates for individuals filing for unemployment benefits or looking for health insurance if they’ve lost employer-based coverage. I encourage you to share that newsletter if you know anyone who has lost their job due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Oregon Employment Department (OED) told us today that they have doubled the number of people processing unemployment claims and are on their way to tripling their staff since the pandemic began. They have more phone lines, but there are still wait times. They appreciate people’s patience as they ramp up to handle all the new claims as quickly as possible.

Here is more information about how the CARES Act will change how you can access unemployment benefits:

  • If you know you were not previously eligible for unemployment and are seeking benefits as a self-employed person or an independent contractor under the new federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, the agency is advising you to wait to file a claim since this filing process could change and disrupt your claim.
  • Once OED gets guidance from the federal government on how to implement the application process for the new pandemic benefits, they will publicize that information and applications will be able to be backdated.
  • But, if you have already applied for unemployment (or do so in the future) and may become eligible for the new program, the agency will let you know that when they screen your application.

Important Consumer Information on Insurance

The Department of Consumer and Business Services has updated their coronavirus website (here) with FAQs relating to health insurance, telehealth insurance coverage, prescription drugs, business insurance, travel insurance, grace periods for all lines of insurance, mortgages and loans, and avoiding coronavirus scams.


Looking for a Previous Newsletter?

Since the start of the social distancing requirements, I’ve been writing these newsletters every day, Monday thru Friday. If you want to go back to any old newsletters, click here.

And thank you for all the great comments and feedback!


For up to date information, please check this link to the Oregon Health Authority where regular updates are posted: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ERD/Pages/News-Releases.aspx

Please email me at Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov if you have specific concerns that have not been addressed by the OHA. Our office will do all we can to help and protect all Oregonians.

Thank you for reading! We will get through this together.

Best,

Tina

 

Tina Kotek

State Representative
House District 44
Speaker of the House

email: Rep.TinaKotek@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1200
address: 900 Court St NE, H-269, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/kotek