Friends, 

The President announced that his Administration’s nationwide guidance to slow the spread of the virus, which was published 15 days ago, will be extended until at least April 30th. As Dr. Fauci said, “the reason why we feel so strongly about the necessity of the additional 30 days is that now is the time, whenever you’re having an effect, not to take your foot off the accelerator.” See below for the specifics on that guidance:

Tele-townhall Q&A With The Wyoming Business and Industry Federation

Today, I joined the Wyoming Business and Industry Federation on a tele-townhall to answer questions about what we have done in Congress to combat coronavirus and the resources available to help local small businesses. You can listen to today’s tele-townhall by clicking on the image below. 

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), What You Need To Know:

Wyoming small business owners: The CARES Act provides $349 billion in loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The loans provide eight weeks of cash-flow assistance to small businesses who maintain their payroll.

If employers follow PPP guidelines and maintain their payroll, the loans will be forgiven. President Trump announced that applications for these funds will be accepted starting this Friday, April 3rd, and complete details for small businesses about the process of applying are available. 

For topline information on how the federal government is supporting small businesses during this time, see the following websites and documents for information:

• Coronavirus.gov Small Business Resources Page
• Treasury Department Website on the CARES Act
• SBA Small Business Guidance & Loan Resources

The Treasury Department also has a helpful one-page overview with background on how the Paycheck Protection Program is designed to work and shared the loan terms and conditions for small businesses.

Economic Impact Payments, What You Need To Know:

The IRS has answered key questions about Economic Impact Payments, which is another important part of the CARES Act. Click here for information to know about how those payments are designed to work and see below:

As always, If you have any specific questions or need assistance as it pertains to the coronavirus response effort, please contact Ryan Hofmann with my office at ryan.hofmann@mail.house.gov.

Latest Updates From The Coronavirus Task Force:

The Trump Administration made several announcements about the sharing of personal protective equipment and key medical supplies across the country. The Vice-President said that as of yesterday, more than 11.6 million N-95 masks, more than 8,100 ventilators, along with millions of face shields, surgical masks, and gloves have been distributed across the country. That is in addition to help being given to specific states that are currently seeing outbreaks of the virus. 

On the issue of ventilators, Admiral Brett Giroir and U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams sent an open letter to the health care community about optimizing their use. The President also said yesterday that the federal government has 10,000 ventilators ready to be moved based on expected surges of the virus in the coming weeks.  

The Vice-President also said that more than 1.1 million tests have been conducted nationwide. Following the emergency approval by the FDA of a test from Abbott Laboratories that can deliver results in as little as five minutes, the Vice-President said the company will be producing 50,000 tests a day and distributing those around the country. He also shred that there are machines in 18,000 different locations, and that will be increasing.

In addition to that test, the FDA granted another emergency approval on a test yesterday produced by Bodysphere Inc. that can detect a positive or negative result for COVID-19 in two minutes.

In terms of potential therapeutics, the FDA announced the creation of the Coronavirus Treatment Acceleration Program (CTAP) to expedite the development of potentially safe and effective life-saving treatments. As they detail in the announcement, there are currently ten therapeutic agents are in active trials and another 15 therapeutic agents are in planning stages.

There’s also been a surge in demand for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine since both of those drugs are potential therapeutics to treat the coronavirus. Given the surge in demand, the FDA has accepted donations of these drugs and the agency is working with manufacturers to ramp up the production of them in a safe and expeditious manner.

Additional Information for Wyoming Small Businesses:

On Friday March 28th, following passage in the House, President Trump signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the third coronavirus relief package providing emergency aid for American workers, families, small businesses, and hospitals.

Copied below is important information for Wyoming small business owners who have questions about the financial aid included in the CARES Act:

Wyoming small businesses impacted by coronavirus have received final federal approval to seek loans up to $2 million as part of the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

SBA has added all 23 Wyoming counties to it’s list of designated “economic disaster” regions eligible for small business disaster loan assistance.

To apply for a SBA Federal Disaster Loan, click on the following link:  https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/

FEMA Coronavirus Rumor Control: Myth Of The Day

Due to the large amount of speculation regarding coronavirus, this is a reminder to rely on OFFICIAL sources for accurate information. Help control the spread of rumors by sharing this page: https://www.fema.gov/coronavirus-rumor-control

Frequently Asked Question: I’m on Medicare, and someone offered me a COVID-19 test if I provide my Medicare information. Should I accept?

FACT: If you receive any calls like this, please know that it is a scam to get your private personal information. Beneficiaries are being targeted in a number of ways, including telemarketing calls, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits. Do not give out your Medicare, Medicaid, or Social security numbers. And be cautious about any unsolicited requests for your personal information. If you think you need to be tested for the Coronavirus, please call your doctor, who can advise you on what tests you may need.

Please follow this newsletter and the coronavirus page on my website for continued updates about COVID-19 and how government is responding to protect both the country’s health and our economic security. 

Congresswoman Liz Cheney