[BwayDems] Fwd: Responding to the Impact of COVID-19 on New York City

Tue Mar 24 22:18:59 EDT 2020

Forwarded as part of our continuing effort to keep our members informed as
to the activities and initiatives of our elected officials.

Stay safe!

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Congressman Jerry Nadler <CongressmanNadler at mail.house.gov>
Date: Tue, Mar 24, 2020 at 7:47 PM
Subject: Responding to the Impact of COVID-19 on New York City

March 24, 2020
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Dear Friends,

 Rep. Nadler at a press conference with Speaker Pelosi and Rep. Maloney

I know many of you are anxious and concerned about the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic. I wanted to take a moment to respond to many of the
concerns I have heard from constituents who have reached out to my office
and to share some additional guidance. I shared each of these concerns with
Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader McConnell in a letter on March 18, which
you can read here
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472179-53157372>,
to make sure they know what matters most to our district.

First and foremost, every health official agrees that the most important
thing we can do right now is stay home, avoid large crowds, and practice
social distancing by staying at least six feet away from people outside
your family. Routinely wash your hands, clean frequently touched objects,
stay away from others if you are sick, and, above all, stay calm and
informed. The Governor
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472180-53157372>,
the Mayor
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472181-53157372>,
and my office
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472182-53157372>
are working to keep people informed on our Twitter accounts and up-to-date
information on the pandemic is currently available on my website
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472183-53157372>.

Of course, this guidance is having a major impact on our lives and our
city. Broadway is dark, restaurants, bars, and shops are shut, schools are
closed, travel is restricted. These new rules are necessary to stop the
spread of the virus, but they will have a lasting financial impact on all
our lives.

Below, I have responded to many of the concerns I have heard from all of
you about the impacts this health emergency will have on your lives and
businesses. This situation is changing rapidly, and Congress is working to
pass legislation to help the hundreds of millions of families impacted by
this virus.

*Rent and Mortgage Relief: *As the City shuts down, businesses close, and
events are canceled, many of you have been concerned about how to pay your
rent or mortgage and what will happen if you cannot make your monthly
payments. Research has shown that stable housing is directly tied to better
health outcomes, and we have to do everything we can to keep every New
Yorker stably housed during this health emergency. I want you to know I
fully support every effort to ensure that my constituents have the
financial support to continue making rent and mortgage payments and that
banks, federal agencies, and other lenders suspend all foreclosures and
evictions during this public health emergency. To that end, I have taken
several steps. First, I joined several of my colleagues in urging every
major bank to suspend all foreclosures during the health emergency. Second,
I signed a letter calling on all federal housing agencies, including HUD,
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the VA, to impose a nationwide moratorium
on foreclosures and evictions on all properties they own, insure, or
oversee. Third, I cosponsored a bill prohibiting all evictions from rental
housing—it's crucial that we protect both homeowners and renters throughout
this trying time. Finally, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to
all credit reporting agencies urging them not to report adverse credit
incidents like missed rent or mortgage payments during the pandemic to keep
people’s credit whole.

*Relief for Contract, Gig, and Tipped Workers: *As businesses across the
city heed the advice of public health officials and scale down operations
or close, many gig workers, independent contractors, hourly workers, and
tipped workers have lost virtually all income. Many of these New Yorkers
are ineligible for paid leave and in danger of being laid off. It is
imperative that Congress acts swiftly to provide relief for these workers
and their families. Accordingly, I joined several of my colleagues in
writing to Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader McCarthy, and the Committee on
Ways and Means to urge them to include provisions for freelance and
contract workers in the entertainment industry who have lost work. I am
also working with my colleagues to pass legislation that will provide
direct funding to Americans during this downturn to ensure they can
continue to pay rent, buy food for themselves and their family, and get
prescription medication. Finally, I signed a letter calling for support for
artists and those who work with arts organizations to ensure they stay
afloat during the pandemic. It is imperative that any measure we pass going
forward provide support for all workers and ensure that everyone who was
laid off, had their hours cut, or had to take leave, regardless of what
type of work they do, has financial support.

*Current Students and Student Borrowers: *Both current and former students
have been significantly impacted as a result of this health emergency. Many
colleges and universities were the first institutions to close, canceling
class and sending students home. For homeless students, international
students, or students who were unable to return to their home, colleges and
universities have provided emergency housing but as this pandemic stretches
on, those resources may wear thin. At the same time, as millions of New
Yorkers find themselves out of work, paying down student debt has become
impossible. Current students should not be forced to bear the emergency
housing costs for those that were unable relocate to their permanent homes
when schools were closed, and students should be reimbursed for educational
services and benefits they did not receive. I recently joined my colleagues
in sending a letter to Secretary Betsy DeVos to ensure that students do not
bear these burdens. Individuals with student loan debt should be given
assistance and loan forgiveness, including cancelling of loans, elimination
of interest, and protections for their credit scores and reports during the
pandemic. That will ensure that students do not have to make choices
between buying food or paying loans and that any missed payments do not
impact their credit going forward. While I was pleased to see the President
announce a two month pause in student loan payments and that all interest
will be suspended for 60 days whether you choose to pay or not, there is
still more that must be done to support those with student loan debt.

*Mass Transit Agencies: *The transportation sector—particularly mass
transit agencies—has been severely impacted by the economic slowdown
brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. New York City’s MTA, like many other
agencies, are spending millions of dollars to frequently clean and sanitize
their stations, touchpoints, and fleet of subway cars and buses. At the
same time, mass transit agencies around the country have seen a sharp
decline in revenue and ridership as Americans stay home following the
advice of public health experts. The decline in ridership is not expected
to improve for weeks, if not months. Any stimulus package must include
financial support for mass transit agencies, and I led the New York City
delegation in sending a letter demanding that Congress provide that support.

*Small Businesses: *While COVID-19 is affecting every sector of our
economy, it is our small businesses—many of which have narrow profit
margins and cannot afford to close their doors for an indeterminate period
of time—that will bear much of the economic brunt of this public health
crisis. Many of you either own or work for a small business–particularly
restaurants and bars–and will be hard hit. Some help has already been put
in place. First, following a letter I sent to the Governor Cuomo along with
the New York Delegation, all commercial rent will be suspended for 90 days,
which will stop many small businesses from being evicted. Second, following
a letter from the New York Delegation, the tax filing and payment deadlines
were extended from April 15 to July 15. Finally, the Small Business
Administration is offering low-interest federal disaster loans of up to $2
million to small businesses that can be used to cover payroll costs, pay
fixed debts and accounts payable, or any other bills that cannot be paid
due to the impact of COVID-19. Both non-profits and small businesses
without credit available elsewhere will be eligible for these loans. New
York State has set up a portal for more information or to apply. I have
asked for tax relief and grants for all small businesses in addition to
low- and no-interest loans be included in any stimulus package. We have to
ensure small businesses survive this sudden economic downturn and have the
resources they need to rebuild after the pandemic.

*Non-Profits:* I have heard from many of our partners in the non-profit
sector that closures due to the coronavirus have put many social service,
legal, educational, arts and culture, and religious organizations at risk.
Many non-profits rely on donations and charitable giving to fund their
operations, which will be directly impacted by the economic downturn. In
addition, many of the insurance policies non-profits carry explicitly
exclude coverage for a pandemic. As an important first step, the Families
First Coronavirus Response Act
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472184-53157372>
would allow nonprofits to access tax credits for paid leave to employees. I
also led the New York Delegation in sending a letter calling for $4 billion
in funding for nonprofit cultural institutions to keep them afloat during
the downturn, and I joined many of my colleagues in calling for additional
funding for nonprofits and the arts workforce. More information about
resources for arts institutions is available on the National Endowment for
the Arts website
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472185-53157372>. I
believe we must provide meaningful financial support to ensure these
organizations facing significant disruptions to their operations continue
to serve their important role after the economy recovers. I am also working
with my colleagues in government to urge agencies to waive performance
metric provisions in contracts that are no longer possible to meet, such as
client counts or open hours, so that non-profits can be held harmless
during this period.

*Travelers Stranded Abroad: *I know many of you are concerned about loved
ones who are trying to return home from abroad.  The United States has
taken sweeping action to limit the spread of the virus–including setting
restrictions on entry into the country.  Many of these announcements have
come without much notice and have caused confusion and dangerous
overcrowding at airports.  Even with the later clarification that U.S.
citizens would be allowed to enter the United States, commercial airlines
have canceled thousands of overseas flights and more countries than ever
are closing their borders. Travelers have found themselves stranded
overseas with little information from the State Department about how to get
home. The State Department is encouraging all travelers stranded abroad to
enroll in STEP
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472186-53157372>
and to call (888) 407-4747 for assistance. While some flights have been
arranged, confusion and mixed messages have made it nearly impossible to
for travelers to get straight answers. I signed a letter calling for the
State Department to share its plans with Congress and provide accurate
information to travelers. Please call my Manhattan office at (212) 367-7350
if you or a family member are stranded abroad.

Finally, I anticipate that some corporate bailouts will be requested of
Congress as this pandemic continues to impact our economy. But I want you
to know that I have made it clear to both House and Senate leadership that
any federal bailout must come with significant guardrails to protect
workers, stop stock buybacks or executive bonuses, and ensure that workers
have a seat at the table going forward.

If you would like to see a list of the letters referenced throughout this
newsletter, please check my regularly updated COVID-19 resources webpage
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472187-53157372>.

We—myself, along with my New York and Washington staff—are continuing to
work through this crisis, although our physical offices are closed for
health and safety. We are answering phones and replying to emails through
the website. If you need immediate assistance, please call my office at
212-367-7350 or contact me through http://nadler.house.gov
<https://nadler.house.gov/components/redirect/r.aspx?ID=472188-53157372>.

Sincerely,

[image: Jerrold Nadler]
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Office Locations
Washington, DC Office
2132 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: 202-225-5635
Manhattan Office
201 Varick Street, Suite 669
New York, NY 10014
Phone: 212-367-7350
Brooklyn Office
6605 Fort Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11219
Phone: 718-373-3198

WEBSITE
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CONTACT
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