The Colorado State Open Thread is for people with an interest in our beautiful state to come together and share discussions on whatever interests us, be it politics, nature, wildlife, astronomy, gastronomy or day-to-day life. Please feel free to contribute in the comments or by taking on the opportunity to publish one of these some day. This is published generally every Monday at somewhere around 7PM Mountain time.
With the holiday upon us, some of the Colorado representatives weren’t going to miss a chance to send a holiday greeting to us. Some sent a more general, non-holiday message.
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From my Congressman, Joe Neguse:
Dear Friends, We find ourselves in an uncertain time. As we approach another few weeks of social distancing, as we continue to weather the economic and public health implications of this moment, it's critical now more than ever that we stick together, encourage each other and do not lose hope. Coloradans are resilient and we will get through this together! AN IMPORTANT UPDATE ON YOUR ECONOMIC IMPACT PAYMENTS: the IRS has rolled out their portal for updating direct deposit information. If they don’t have your information on file, make sure to fill this out to get your payment sooner: click here. If you filed a 2018 or 2019 tax return and already have direct deposit information set up with the IRS, you do not need to fill this out.PROTECTING OUR FRONT LINE WORKERS
This week, I have been working diligently to ensure our front line health care workers, first responders, firefighters, local governments, small businesses and families have the tools they need to weather this crisis. On Friday, I introduced a measure to ensure all front line health care workers receive hazard pay throughout the COVID-19 outbreak and that all hospitals and health care facilities are reimbursed for those additional expenses. The COVID-19 pandemic is a battle, and our nurses, doctors, and first responders are on the frontlines every day, sacrificing their own health to save lives and protect our communities. We must ensure our front line health care workers are appropriately compensated for their efforts at this time. I have also requested testing priority for our firefighters, police officers and first responders so they can continue to do the important work of protecting our communities and keeping us safe through wildfire season. FIGHTING FOR OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES Earlier this week, I introduced the Coronavirus Community Relief Act to provide $250 billion in stabilization funds for our local communities, to ensure that every city and county in Colorado—from Estes Park to Granby, Central City to Berthoud, and every town in between—has the funds they need to care for our families and to make a full economic recovery when this crisis has passed. Additionally, I am working with Senators Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris on legislation to end the extensive price gouging we have witnessed across the country, working to protect our postal workers and mail delivery services, and working to expand essential food security programs like SNAP and WIC so families can access the products they need. We are continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress to pass additional economic relief funding for the country, including more aid for small businesses, hospitals, state and local governments and additional direct assistance for American workers. PLEASE CONTACT US FOR ASSISTANCE Please continue to reach our office if you need assistance or have questions about benefits offered through the CARES Act. Email us or call at: (970) 372-3971 Stay home, stay healthy and stay hopeful! Your Congressman, Joe Neguse |
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From Scott Tipton
Happy Easter and Passover!
One of the greatest joys of the holidays is spending time with our loved ones who come together from near and far. This year is different as we practice social distancing to keep our families and communities safe. Thankfully we can stay connected online, over the phone, and having the option to watch livestream religious services online or on TV. While it may feel like something is missing from our celebrations this year, it is a necessary sacrifice we are all making together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ultimately save lives. However you chose to celebrate this week and weekend, I pray for health to you and your families and wish you a blessed Easter and Passover season!
Updates on Combating COVID-19
This week, we passed the one-month mark since confirming the first positive COVID-19 case in Colorado. Since then, the outbreak has spread throughout our district, impacting families, healthcare workers and small businesses. The outbreak has placed an incredibly difficult stress on communities where economic growth can often be difficult to achieve even under normal circumstances. This troubling time is no doubt testing our resiliency, but we will get through this. This outbreak will eventually come to an end, and our economies will bounce back so long as support is available to keep small businesses from having to permanently close and families able to make ends meet. In the meantime, I will continue to prioritize our district’s needs and work to secure relief for areas in dire need of resources.
ICYMI- USA Today: 'Not just a big city issue': Coronavirus cases soar in rural America popular with tourists
Week in Review
This week was quite eventful. I held conference calls with chambers of commerce and economic development organizations across the district to discuss options for small businesses and hear their feedback and concerns. I also hosted a district-wide telephone town hall with members from the Small Business Administration, and Colorado Departments of Public Health and Environment and Military and Veterans Affairs to talk about our collaboration on slowing the spread of COVID-19 and economic recovery efforts. I hope that you were able to listen in, but if not, the entire event is posted here.
Critical Aid on its Way to Hospitals and Health Centers
I was pleased to learn about HHS and FEMA grants being awarded to nine community health centers in our district. This news followed me sending numerous letters and phone calls to the Trump Administration to prioritize rural needs and I appreciated attention to these critical areas. Our rural communities have limited resources to keep pace with the outbreak, and this money will no doubt play a role in giving healthcare workers access to additional PPE and ventilators.
Keeping Americans Paid
Unfortunately, the nation received a sobering update as more than 6.6 million American have filed for unemployment since the start of the outbreak. That’s truly a staggering number considering we are just weeks removed from historically low unemployment and one of the longest periods of economic growth. Through my several roundtables with local chambers of commerce and other business owners, I continue to discuss the benefits included in the CARES Act, particularly the Paycheck Protection Program aimed to help small businesses stay afloat in this period of uncertainty. This newly created program will essentially allocate grant money to small businesses to help offset lost revenue if they continue to pay their employees during the outbreak. Through no fault of their own, many businesses have had to close their doors and this program can serve as an important tool for small businesses on Main Street to get back on their feet. Families should be focused on staying healthy right now, not worried if their next paycheck will come. This program is also available for independent contractors and self-employed business owners so please check out the resources available to see if you are eligible.
Department of Treasury Paycheck Protection Program
Assistance for Families
In addition to the small business relief, the IRS announced it is likely to begin sending economic impact payments to individuals and families as soon as this next week. This immediate payment will total $1,200 per individual and an additional $500 per dependent. I hope the delivery of these payments offers some relief for families that may be struggling. By continuing to provide immediate emergency relief, we will better position our communities to make a quicker recovery once this virus passes. This effort will require continuous tweaks, and I will continue my outreach to ensure that the resources available are implemented as effective as possible.
IRS information on the economic impact
As always, I value your input and my staff and I are available to help you if you need assistance with any federal resources. Please don’t hesitate to contact one of my offices if you need help navigating through the applications and be sure to check out my COVID-19 resource page for helpful links to resources from all levels of government.
Scott Tipton
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From Congressman Doug Lamborn
Easter 2020
For Immediate Release: April 12, 2020 Contact: Cassandra Sebastian (719) 520-0055
To commemorate Easter, Congressman Doug Lamborn issued the following statement: "Easter reminds us of God's never-ending love for us. Let us all together praise and worship God for his endless blessings. May this Easter Sunday bring to you hope, happiness, prosperity, and abundance, all received through God's divine grace."
Element removed (this was a bible verse on a picture of a sunrise)
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and from Governor Polis
My Fellow Coloradans, With the celebration of Easter this weekend, Passover underway, and Ramadan coming just around the corner, I want to express my best wishes to you and your family during this spring holiday season, even if it might look a little different than past years. We’ve faced crises before. But one of the most difficult things about our current situation is that we can’t be together physically. That doesn’t mean we can’t be together emotionally and spiritually. You might be having a virtual seder or a virtual Easter dinner with family members as opposed to being with them in person. You may have an easter egg hunt in the back yard as opposed to in a park. You might be logging on to watch a religious service rather than attend in person. These are all ways that we can stay connected even when we’re apart. However you’re observing your faith traditions or secular traditions (and even if you’re not) -- please take steps to keep yourself and others safe during this time. Stay home unless it’s absolutely necessary, and if you must go out, please wear a mask or a cloth face covering, keep six feet of distance between you and others, wash your hands frequently and avoid touching your face. I’m proud of Coloradans for taking this virus seriously. I know it’s difficult but the better job we do of staying in, the more lives we will save, and the sooner we can be together again. Happy holidays, Governor Jared Polis -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What’s on your mind tonight? Please let us know in comments below. The floor is yours... |