Combating coronavirus and returning to some sense of economic and societal normalcy will be one of the toughest challenges we face as a nation, as we’ve all had our lives impacted by COVID-19 for the majority of 2020.
As Congress nears an agreement on an embarrassingly delayed government funding and COVID relief package, I wanted to reflect on the past year.
Since coronavirus hit Nevada in March, my staff and I have initiated an "all-hands-on-deck" response to ensure nothing fell through the cracks this year during these challenging times. In order to successfully manage the unprecedented surge in correspondence, requests, and casework issues, while continuing to manage coronavirus policy matters and our usual legislative workload, our office safely remained open during regular business hours to expedite the flow of information coming from the federal level, facilitate priorities and requests, and to help bridge any gaps.
As I continue working with my colleagues in Congress and our state and local partners here in Nevada to ensure we’re on track for recovery, as always, the constituents of CD-2 remain our top priority. Some of our recent and ongoing efforts include: Working alongside the State Department to help Nevadans stuck abroad return home, helping constituents access critical unemployment benefits, working with the IRS to secure relief checks for those who have experienced issues or delays, and helping secure much-needed funding for Nevada’s small businesses. While we can never say mission accomplished, I'd like to share some highlights from my office's hard work on behalf of Nevadans this year:
I understand it can be difficult to see the positives during these uncertain times, so I wanted to take a moment to not only thank you for doing your part this year, but to reflect on some of the action taken at the federal level in 2020 to put Nevada and our nation on the road to recovery.
While there is still a lot of work that remains to be done, during the first 100 days from when the first case of COVID-19 was diagnosed in the United States, we saw a comprehensive response from Congress, the Administration, state and local governments, and America’s medical professionals and first responders as everyone did their part. In addition to Congress delivering historic levels of relief, the $10 billion in funding which was dedicated to vaccine research and manufacturing, resulted in hospitals beginning to administer vaccinations this week to front-line healthcare workers with the highest risk of exposure.
Throughout the year, my office remained in constant contact with our partners on the ground in CD-2 to support efforts being made at the federal level, and to mitigate the economic impacts being felt by businesses and individuals. On the economic side, we have reached out to chambers of commerce, major industries, and small business owners. On the public health side, we’ve continued to work alongside relevant local, state, and federal health authorities to facilitate requests for much-needed supplies, highlight Nevada’s unique priorities, and serve as a resource for all partners as efforts to tackle COVID-19 continue nonstop. The challenge for everyone involved is how to balance appropriate health practices with the preservation of our tax base. Meaning, businesses which have and can achieve safe operations, should be allowed to operate.
As we all continue doing our part to get America back on track, I also wanted to share some COVID-specific highlights in terms of the federal response efforts that have contributed to the significant strides we’ve made as a country this year. Learn more about these efforts below: - $3.3 Trillion: The total amount of federal funding allocated to initiate a comprehensive medical response to COVID-19, give small businesses the flexibility to care for their employees, and bring much-needed financial relief to families, businesses, disrupted industries, individuals, state and local governments, and healthcare workers. This funding was allocated through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the CARES Act, and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act
- $18 Billion: The total amount of COVID relief funding that has been delivered to Nevada to date
- $3.4 Billion: The total amount of emergency grants & loans allocated to Nevada’s small businesses
- 500,000: The total amount of jobs saved in Nevada through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
- 45,771: The total number of PPP loans dispersed in Nevada
- $4,215,380,081: The total amount of PPP relief funding dispersed to businesses in Nevada
- Nearly $1 Billion: The amount in medical grants for hospitals and clinics to put toward testing, care, and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- More Than $200 Million: The amount allocated for K-12 and higher education initiatives
- $2.5 Billion: The total amount allocated in individual relief checks for nearly half of all Nevadans
- $1.25 Billion: The total amount allocated to Nevada’s state and local governments
- $5,146,004,572: The total Amount allocated to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) to put towards all federal enhanced unemployment programs and increased administrative costs
- 164,000: The total amount of vaccine doses Nevada will receive through December
In the coming year, I look forward to more timely responses from Congress in providing COVID relief. Finally, please remember, if you’re ever unable to get the answers you need from a federal agency, or if you have been treated unfairly, never hesitate to give us a call. It’s been a pleasure to serve the people of CD-2 for nearly 10 years, and I look forward to continuing to serve you in 2021. I wish you and your family a safe and healthy holiday season and a happy New Year.
For additional information, please visit my website at Amodei.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760, or Elko office: (775) 777-7705. To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and in Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Sincerely, 
Mark E. Amodei |
