CARES ACT DELIVERS OVER $112B TO NY

US Senator Charles Schumer announced updated impact numbers related to the bipartisan "Corona 3" legislation that sailed through the Senate with a vote of 96-0, passed the House and was signed by President Trump. Schumer is now able to announce more detailed numbers in addition to the $40 billion he announced moments after the bill first passed the Senate on Wednesday, March 25.

"The ‘plus' in the $40 billion we were able to announce the other day has now begun to reveal itself, and the additional dollars will mean critical help for New York," said US Senator Schumer. "There is much more to be done in order to vanquish and recover from this horrible virus plaguing our great state and nation, but each day we make new progress, and we continue the collective fight. We won't stop, and I won't stop until we are back to bustling."

Schumer detailed new numbers related to dollars hospitals would receive directly, small businesses, even the public schools. The new dollars, including the $40 billion Schumer announced Wednesday, now total $112 billion.

"That is $112 billion for workers, families, healthcare and New York," said Schumer. In the month of March alone, the state was able to secure more than $15 billion in direct aid it has begun to access immediately. "These numbers are good, but like I said, we want to do more, because we are an epicenter. In the ‘Corona 2' legislation that passed earlier this month, the state received $5.1 billion in direct FMAP relief, New York counties got the remainder. As part of ‘Corona 3' which just passed, the state received $5.2 billion via the State Relief Fund, $4.1 billion for state transit, $3.8 billion of which went to the MTA, $1.1 billion in state education stabilization funds and $162 million in state child care funds.

Schumer also explained that he has spoken with Secretary Mnuchin about New York's funding and says the secretary has promised to help New York with its ability to use each and every dollar it has received. The details of the latest projections appear in the breakdown below.

New Yorkers Estimated To Receive Massive Support In Crisis:

$33.8B – Small Business Administration payroll relief to New York small businesses.

$25B – Hospital and other medical facilities. For protective equipment for health care workers, testing supplies, staffing and new construction to expand services.

$16 B – Unemployment Compensation ‘on steroids' for New Yorkers.

$15 B – Direct cash payments: $1,200 for individuals and $2,400 for couples making less than $75,000 and a graduated smaller amount for those making up to $99,000.

$7.5B – Disaster Relief Fund through FEMA programs, estimated using current rate of payments to New York.

$7.5B – State and local coronavirus relief fund.

$4.1B – Transit Systems, especially the MTA, which is directly supported by the NY state budget.

$2B – Strategic National Stockpile.

$1B – Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund – K-12.

Other Critical Funding Sources For New York:

$690.4 M – Airport Improvement Grants

$193M – Community Development Grants

$191.4 M – HUD Homeless Assistance, Emergency Solutions Grants

$164.6 M – Governor's Emergency Education Relief Fund

$162.4 M – Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG)

TOTAL: $112 BILLION+

MALONEY STATEMENT ON H.R. 748, THE CARES ACT: Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY), submitted the following statement on March 27 to the Congressional Record on H.R. 748, the CARES Act.

"My constituents always come first. If I thought that I could help them at this time by breaking every bit of expert medical guidance on containing the coronavirus, then I would travel to the Capitol in a heartbeat. But with the outcome assured, I can best serve my constituents and New York by following best practices and staying here….

"Had I been present, I would have voted to pass this emergency relief legislation to get immediate help to our hospitals, small businesses, and individual Americans…there is much more that needs to be done to help restart the economy, and we will be turning our efforts to that as soon as this $2 trillion relief package is signed into law.

"This bill is not perfect, but it is essential that we act now. With this bill, more than $40 billion will flow to New York — not just for the state and city but directly to our hospitals and healthcare workers and small businesses, particularly for employee retention. There will also be direct payments to individuals and significantly more resources for those who have lost their job because of this crisis."

"This bill includes important wins for progressive policy proposals that Democrats fought for, including:

• A large investment in hospitals, our health system, and state and local governments to give them the resources they need during this emergency.
• A massive increase in unemployment insurance benefits so that these benefits match the average paycheck of laid-off and furloughed workers.
• A significant expansion of fast relief for small businesses, including making rent, mortgages, and utility costs eligible for small business administration loan forgiveness.
• Billions of dollars for emergency education funding and the elimination of income tax on student loan repayment assistance by an employer.
• Accountability and oversight by preventing secret bailouts and adding special oversight requirements."

GILLIBRANDS' DISASTER RELIEF GUIDEBOOK: U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand released a new funding guidebook on March 26 to help New Yorkers navigate disaster relief funding during the coronavirus outbreak. The guidebook details funding opportunities for individuals, non-profits, and small businesses across New York State. It will be continuously updated throughout the duration of this crisis.

The guide consists of three sections dedicated to funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Each section outlines funding opportunities, program descriptions, requirements, eligibility, and other considerations. By utilizing federal and state grants, organizations throughout New York can provide additional services to communities.

Senator Gillibrand said, "It is crucial that individuals, non-profits, and small businesses have the resources they need to fight against the economic impacts of this virus – facilitating access to these resources is a critical step."

The guidebook is the latest in a series to provide community organizations, state and local governments, schools and law enforcement agencies with the resources needed to access federal funding, which will help prevent cuts to services, save and create jobs, and build opportunities to improve the lives of New Yorkers.

A copy of Senator Gillibrand's COVID-19 Funding guidebook can be downloaded from tinyurl.com/trfwt7j/

MENG, AOC TO TRUMP: SEND STOCKPILE TO ELMHURST HOSPITAL: U.S. Reps. Grace Meng (D-Queens) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-Queens/Bronx) announced on March 27 that they sent a letter to President Trump calling on him to prioritize the transfer of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and ventilators from the national stockpile to Elmhurst Hospital Center.

"We entreat you to promptly deploy immediate, necessary resources to decrease the intensity and mitigate long-term harm of COVID-19," Reps Meng and Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "We urge you to address the needs required at Elmhurst Hospital."

"Elmhurst Hospital Center has become the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak here in New York City, and the situation is devastating," said Meng. "Its medical staff needs this equipment to protect themselves and their patients, and they need it NOW! I implore President Trump to do the right thing; help us save lives and send these desperately needed resources to Elmhurst. This is a matter of life and death!"

ADDABBO: CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING: In a March 26 statement, NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo Jr. stressed need to continue social distancing as Elmhurst Hospital saw 13 coronavirus deaths in one day: "In a 24-hour span, Elmhurst Hospital has seen 13 coronavirus-related deaths, according to New York City Health and Hospitals spokesman Christopher Miller. Although more medical staff and supplies are being sent to the hospital each day, this is a worrying situation that is only going to get worse. As more people test positive for the coronavirus, more of our hospitals' beds will be taken up and the city's death toll will rise because we just don't have the means to handle the increased number of patients that will need medical care. That is why all New Yorkers need to adhere to the strict "stay at home" and social distancing policies to reduce the spread of the virus, especially to the most vulnerable of society, like the elderly and those with underlying health conditions."

MENG DENOUNCES ANTI-ASIAN RHETORIC AROUND COVID-19: On March 25, US Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives that denounces the anti-Asian sentiment caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus. "The increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric, particularly from our nation's leaders, such as the president, and their use of terms like ‘Chinese virus,' ‘Wuhan virus,' and ‘Kung-flu,' is not only irresponsible, reckless, and downright disgusting, it threatens the safety of the Asian American community; such language demeans, disparages, and scapegoats Asian Americans," said Rep. Meng. "Asian Americans, like millions of others across the nation, are worried about the coronavirus; however, so many Asian Americans are also living in fear following the dramatic increase of threats and attacks against those of Asian descent. During this time of heightened anxiety and fear surrounding COVID-19, we cannot lose sight of protecting the health and safety of every single person – no matter their race, ethnicity, or background. The House must take a strong stand against the sickening intolerance, bigotry, and violence that is leaving a terrible stain on our nation's history, especially during this moment of an unprecedented public health crisis. I am grateful to my colleagues who introduced this resolution with me today, and for joining me in saying loud and clear: xenophobia and discrimination is absolutely unacceptable. I strongly urge all of my House of Representatives colleagues, to support this measure, and its passage."

The resolution has 124 cosponsors, including Velázquez, Maloney, Ocasio-Cortez and Meeks.

CALL ON DEPT OF FINANCE FOR TAX LIEN SALE POSTPONEMENT:

NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnson and Councilman Daniel Dromm, chair of the Finance Committee, urged the city's Department of Finance (DOF) to postpone this year's scheduled tax lien sale to help struggling property owners in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Currently, the last day to pay or enter into a payment agreement plan in order to avoid the tax lien sale is May 14, 2020.

In a letter sent on March 25 to Finance Commissioner Jacques Jiha, Johnson and Dromm said that in the middle of this pandemic, enforcement is not the appropriate action. "The city should be working to provide short-term solutions to debtors as other governmental offices, including the Internal Revenue Service, are doing. This is a pause, not a cancellation. We know the city needs this money, but now is not the time to go after people to collect debt. We are in an unprecedented crisis," the officials said in a release.

"People are struggling, and we as a city government must be doing what we can to help alleviate some of their burdens. As we battle this unprecedented pandemic, we have to make sure we provide assistance to all New Yorkers in need. The city is in a state of pause, and outstanding debt collection should also pause until this crisis passes," said Speaker Johnson.

"The NYC Department of Finance must postpone the tax lien sale in light of the public health emergency. New Yorkers need relief, and postponing the sale would help deliver exactly that. While I recognize the need to collect revenue, the tax lien sale should not be conducted at a time when NYC families are struggling because of lost wages, sick family members and the many other hardships brought on by the COVID-19 crisis. I hope the Department will join the many federal and state agencies that have halted enforcement measures in order to help those who have been negatively impacted by the virus," said Council Finance Chair Dromm.

CUOMO COMMENDS MENTAL HEALTH VOLUNTEERS: On March 25, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo commended the thousands of mental health professionals in New York State who stepped up as volunteers to address people's mental health needs related to the coronavirus.

New Yorkers can call the COVID-19 Emotional Support Hotline at 844-863-9314 for mental health counseling.

Governor Cuomo said, "We've talked about the emotional stress that this brings on in people. And the mental health stress and challenges. No one's really talking about this. You know, we're all concerned about the immediate critical need. The life and death of the immediate situation, which is right. But don't underestimate the emotional trauma that people are feeling.

"We asked for mental health professionals to voluntarily sign up to provide online mental health services. Six thousand mental health professionals agreed to volunteer to provide mental health services for people who need it. How beautiful is that?

"You can call the hotline, schedule an appointment with a mental health professional totally free, to talk to them about whatever you're feeling. And again, God bless the 6,000 mental health professionals who are doing this 100 percent free, on top of whatever they have to do in their normal practice. And I'm sure in their normal practice, they're busy. So this is really an extraordinary, extraordinary step by them."

CONSTANTINIDES CALLS FOR PARK ENFORCEMENT: Councilman Costa Constantinides is calling on the Parks Department to ramp up Parks Enforcement Patrol, or PEP, around the Astoria Park running track to stem the spread of COVID-19. The Astoria lawmaker's call comes in light of continued crowding at the recently renovated track, despite urgent pleas to social distance.

Constantinides additionally asked the New York City Department of Transportation to assess whether it can close off Shore Boulevard — the western border of Astoria Park — to allow for more space to keep pedestrians further apart. Any study would have to assess the needs of emergency vehicles, who might need the street as a throughway to Mount Sinai Queens hospital.

Health officials have asked New Yorkers to stay home as much as possible. Anyone who must go outside is encouraged to keep a safe six feet away from others to contain the coronavirus spread. Both the city and state have asked anyone who ventures outside for exercise amid the COVID-19 pandemic to do so alone. Social media posts from last weekend, however, show clusters of people too close together at places including Astoria Park. Governor Cuomo recently raised the issue at a media briefing and again encouraged park-goers to avoid contact sports or crowds.

The City of New York recently announced the NYPD and PEP officers would increase enforcement on social distancing in public spaces. Constantinides stressed on March 26 that Astoria Park's running track should be a top priority in western Queens to curb the spread.

LOCAL CO'S DONATE HAND SANITIZERS TO POLICE: Councilman Peter Koo and Congresswoman Grace Meng thanked two local businesses for donating 5,000 small bottles of hand sanitizers to local police precincts throughout Queens. The donations followed calls by the elected officials for the community to support efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19.

The companies are King's Action Group, general manager Nancy Jia, and Kari-Out Co., general manager David Chan. On March 26, they distributed the hand sanitizers to the NYPD's 102nd, 104th, 107th, 109th, 110th, 111th, and 112th Precincts.

Councilman Koo said, "Our first responders and essential workers are doing a great job to maintain order and contain the spread of COVID-19. We thank these businesses for stepping up during this difficult time to ensure our local police have the resources they need to keep themselves and our community safe."

Congresswoman Meng said, "The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc on our city and nation, and this donation of supplies will be a welcome help in our efforts to combat it. Thank you for your generosity."