DANVILLE HEALTH DISTRICT.
GOV. NORTHAM: THANK YOU, DR.
PEAKE.
LAST NIGHT, THE U.S. SENATE
REACHED AGREEMENT ON A RELIEF
PACKAGE.
WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THE
DETAILS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK
OUR SECRETARY OF FINANCE, AUBREY
LANE, TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON
WHAT THIS MAY MEAN FOR US IN
VIRGINIA.
SEC. LANE, THANK YOU.
SEC. LANE: THANK
YOU, GOVERNOR,
AND GOOD AFTERNOON.
LET ME THINK OUR CONGRESSIONAL
LEADERS FOR REACHING A DEAL ON
THIS MUCH-NEEDED $2 TRILLION
STIMULUS PACKAGE.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO PASS
THIS LEGISLATION PROMPTLY, IN
ORDER TO GET THE MONEY FLOWING.
THIS FISCAL ACTION,
ALONG WITH
THE EXTRAORDINARY MONETARY
MEASURES TAKEN THE FEDERAL
RESERVE, OFFERS ASSURANCES
TO
BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS IN
THE COMMONWEALTH AND ACROSS OUR
COUNTRY, THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE
TO COPE WITH THE NEGATIVE
ECONOMIC IMPACT FROM THIS VIRUS.
WE HAVE STILL NOT SEEN ALL THE
DETAILS.
IN FACT, I WAS TRYING TO READ UP
ON THE LOVELY THOUSAND PAGES
THAT WERE SENT TO US.
BUT I AM VERY ENCOURAGED BY THE
COMPREHENSIVE NATURE OF THIS
STIMULUS.
I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A FEW OF
THE BROAD CATEGORIES.
THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO BE
ALL-INCLUSIVE.
FROM THE START, THE GOVERNOR AND
I HAVE ADVOCATED FOR DIRECT
PAYMENTS TO INDIVIDUALS.
IN PLEASED TO SAY THERE
ARE $250
BILLION IN DIRECT PAYMENTS TO
INDIVIDUALS.
$1200 INDIVIDUALLY.
UP TO 2400 FOR A MARRIED COUPLE
FOR THOSE WHO QUALIFY.
THAT IS BASED ON INCOME LEVELS.
THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL $250
MILLION IN ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT
BENEFITS.
THIS ALLOWS THE STATE TO OFFER
WHAT IT WOULD NORMALLY DO
UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, PLUS $600
PER WEEK, PER INDIVIDUAL, FOR UP
TO FOUR MONTHS.
THIS WILL ALSO INCLUDE
WHAT IS
CALLED BIG EMPLOYEES OR
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS THAT ARE
TYPICALLY NOT PAID BY PAYROLL
WITHHOLDING OR W-2.
THERE ARE DOLLARS FOR AID TO
HOSPITALS.
WHAT YOU JUST HEARD THE GOVERNOR
MENTIONED -- THE TYPE OF
RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED TO
PROTECT OUR FIRST LINE
RESPONDERS THAT ARE ATTENDING
TO
ALL THE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE
BEEN SICK.
THERE ARE $250
MILLION FOR IT
NEEDS -- FOR LOANS TO SMALL
BUSINESS.
A LOT CAN BE CONVERTED TO GRANTS
IF THEY MEET SPECIAL NEEDS.
THERE ARE LOANS TO
LARGE
BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED SIGNIFICANTLY,
INDUSTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED BY THE VIRUS.
THERE IS KEY OVERSIGHT
PROVISIONS TO MAKE SURE THOSE
MONEYS ARE USED TO KEEP PEOPLE
EMPLOYED.
MOST DIRECTLY, THE STATE OF
VIRGINIA, THERE IS STATE AND
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AID.
THERE IS A PROVISION IN THEIR
THAT SAYS AT A MINIMUM EVEN A
SMALL STATE WOULD RECEIVE $1.5
BILLION, AND HOPEFULLY VIRGINIA
WILL GET MUCH MORE THAN THAT, AS
WE GO THROUGH AND SEE HOW THAT
IS DIVIDED UP.
THAT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP US
MITIGATE THE REDUCTION IN
REVENUES THAT WE ARE EXPECTING
BECAUSE OF THE SLOW DOWN, IN
SOME CASES STOPPING BUSINESS IN
OUR COMMONWEALTH.
THERE ARE A HOST OF OTHER
RESOURCES OUT THERE THAT DEAL
WITH TRANSPORTATION,
AGRICULTURE, FOOD SUPPLY,
HOUSING, STUDENT LOAN RELIEF,
AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS.
AS WE
GET THESE DETAILS AND IT
IS PAST, WE WILL MAKE SURE TO
UTILIZE THEM EFFICIENTLY FOR
CITIZENS IN THE COMMONWEALTH.
GOVERNOR NORTHAM HAS STATED
REPEATEDLY THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY
A HEALTH CRISIS, BUT IT IS ALSO
AN ECONOMIC CRISIS.
THE WAY TO FIX OUR
ECONOMY IS TO
DEAL WITH THIS HEALTH CRISIS.
THIS STIMULUS PACKAGE AFFORDS US
THE ABILITY TO DO SO.
I WOULD
ENCOURAGE ALL HER
CITIZENS TO HEED THE ADVICE OF
THE MEDICAL AUTHORITIES, AND
BASE THEIR DECISIONS ON PUBLIC
HEALTH, BASED ON FACTS AND
ADVICE FROM MEDICAL
RESOURCES
AND AUTHORITIES, NOT ARBITRARY
DEADLINES.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THESE
RESOURCES THAT ARE PUT OUT THERE
TO HELP US WEATHER THE STORM ARE
USED WISELY.