Coronavirus Outbreak

I am continuing to monitor the situation of the COVID-19 outbreak in Washington state. As we get more information, we will keep this webpage updated. 

The best way to protect yourself and your family is to practice good hygiene habits. Wash your hands often, don't touch your face, cough into your elbow, give yourself distance from people who are sick, and if you think you are sick, CALL your doctor's office first.

My office has created a COVID-19 resource guide that hopefully you will find helpful.  Aquí puede encontrar el enlace para mi guía de recursos comunitarios en español. Some of the information from the guide is also below.  Find my state and local resources for farmers and farm workers here.

To stay up-to-date information about the coronavirus and how I am working for the 8th district, sign up for my newsletter. 

Actions I Have Taken

Legislation:

• Introduced the No-Cost for COVID-19 Testing Act that was included in the second COVID-19 funding package.
• Co-led the Immediate Relief for Rural Facilities and Providers Act of 2020 (H.R. 6365) with Rep. David Roe (R-TN-01), which provides needed funding to rural hospitals.
• Co-led H.R. 6516 with Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN-05) to allow the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) to accept pharmaceuticals, PPE, and medical devices along with monetary donations.
• Cosponsored the House resolution condemning all forms of anti-Asian sentiment as related to COVID–19.
• Cosponsored the Coronavirus Community Relief Act (H.R. 6467) introduced by Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO-02), which would establish a dedicated fund for local towns and cities under 500,000 residents.
• Cosponsored the All Dependent Children Count Act (H.R. 6420) introduced by Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-02), which ensures all dependents qualify for the $500 guaranteed by the CARES Act.
• Cosponsored the Small Cities and Towns Investment Act (H.R. 6459) introduced by Rep. Angie Craig, which provides direct assistance to municipalities with populations under 30,000. 
• Cosponsored H.R. 6506, the Paycheck Protection Program Extension Act, with Reps. Derek Kilmer (D-WA-6) and Jaime Herrera-Beutler (R-WA-03), which which would extend and provide additional funding for the PPP.

Letters:

• January 31st letter to CDC Director citing outbreak in China and asking for a ramp up of testing capability in the United States
• March 12th letter asking SBA for clear guidance for loan programs
• March 13th letter to Secretaries of Agriculture and Health and Human Services asking food and nutrition programs be made more flexible to ensure food security
• March 18th letter from Washington state delegation requesting inclusion of language allowing COVID-19 to be a national disaster for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
• March 23rd letter to Agriculture Secretary asking for argeted assistance for specialty crops.
• March 25th letter to FEMA requesting they send COVID-19 tests taken in Washington state to labs in Washington state to expidite results
• March 25th letter from Washington state delegation to FEMA in full support of Governor Inslee's ventilator request
• March 30th letter to Health and Human Services Secretary requesting hosptital funds in upcoming COVID-19 spending package maintain the financial viability of rural hospitals.
• April 1st letter to Treasury Secretary requesting clarification that Tribal stabilization funds in CARES Act can be used to reimburse tribes both for direct expenditures as well as lost revenue
• April 2nd letter to Agriculture Secretary urging swift implementation of farmer relief provisions in CARES Act by USDA
• April 2nd letter to Speaker Pelosi asking for a direct funding stream to small towns and cities.
• April 6th letter to the Vice President and CDC Director requesting frontline worker classification for wildfire firefighters and first responders so they can be prioritized for testing.
• April 6th letter to Boeing recommending they use the funding opportunities under the CARES Act to safeguard aviation/aerospace manufacturing jobs
• April 7th letter from Washington state delegation to FEMA requesting additional testing kits, swabs, and testing site support
• April 13th letter to Treasury Secretary and SBA Administrator requesting SBA improve their implementation of small business programs in the CARES Act.
• April 16th Rep. Schrier-led Bipartisan Child Welfare Letter to House Leadership
• April 17th Letter to House Leadership urging funding to address the digital divide (lack of internet access) for students

Local/State/Federal Resources

For more information or if you have coronavirus concerns, the Washington state Department of Health has set up a hotline. You can call them at 800-525-0127 and press #.

Washington Insurance Commissioner Kriedler has announced that insurance companies should waive copay and deductibles for COVID-19 testing. He has also required that people can get a one-time early refill of prescription medication. More info here: https://www.insurance.wa.gov/news/kreidler-orders-washington-health-insurers-waive-deductibles-and-copays-coronavirus-testing

Washington Department of Health is keeping this website updated with COVID-19 information and resources: https://www.doh.wa.gov/Emergencies/Coronavirus

King County has an updated resources website here: https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/communicable-diseases/disease-control/novel-coronavirus.aspx

Kittitas County Department of Public Health's phone number: 509-962-7515 and website: https://www.co.kittitas.wa.us/

Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department: http://tpchd.org/coronavirus

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

CDC What You Need to Know Fact Sheet: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf

CDC Guidance on symptoms: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/about/symptoms.html

Estas son algunas recomendaciones del CDCgov para evitar la propagación de coronavirus:

• Evite el contacto cercano con personas enfermas.
• Evite tocarse los ojos, la nariz y la boca.
• Quédese en casa cuando esté enfermo.
• Limpie y desinfecte los objetos y superficies tocados con frecuencia con un spray o toallita de limpieza doméstica regular.
• Cúbrase la tos o estornude con un pañuelo de papel y, a continuación, tirelo a la basura.
• Lávese las manos a menudo con agua y jabón al menos por 20 segundos, especialmente después de usar el baño, antes de comer y después de limpiarse la nariz, toser o estornudar.
• Si no tiene agua y jabón, use un desinfectante de manos a base de alcohol con al menos 60% de alcohol.

Rep. Schrier's Public Statements on COVID-19

• C-SPAN Washington Journal: https://www.c-span.org/video/?470187-4/washington-journal-representative-kim-schrier-d-wa-discusses-federal-response-coronavirus
• CNN interview with Chris Cuomo 3/11/2020
• KNKX All Things Considered: https://www.knkx.org/post/washington-states-only-doctor-congress-talks-coronavirus-policy
• House Democrats Caucus Press Conference 3/3/2020 (Remarks begin at 6:55): https://twitter.com/HouseDemocrats/status/1234859650668826624
• Statement on House passage of $8.3 billion emergency spending package: /media/press-releases/rep-schrier-statement-house-passage-coronavirus-funding-package 
• KOMO TV Interview 
• KIRO "Gus and Ursula Show" Radio Part 1  Part 2
• Coronavirus Update Newsletter: https://iqconnect.lmhostediq.com/iqextranet/view_newsletter.aspx?id=101105&c=WA08KS

Telephone Town Hall Information

Questions and answers from my March 23rd Telephone Town Hall.

Partial transcript from my April 22nd Telephone Town Hall