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MANCHIN BILL TO HELP SERVICEMEMBERS AND FAMILIES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) introduced a bipartisan bill to expand the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) to provide additional legal protections for servicemembers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The SCRA provides legal protection to servicemembers to prevent them from being taken advantage of while on duty or deployed, and can postpone or suspend financial or civil obligations – including preventing foreclosures, evictions or repossession of a vehicle under the right circumstances. The Senators’ legislation expands SCRA protections to servicemembers who were previously issued orders to change duty stations but, due to the global pandemic, received a stop movement order and may have a housing or car lease in two different locations.
“Our servicemembers and their families sacrifice every day to keep our nation safe, and during the COVID-19 pandemic we must do everything possible to ensure those impacted by the pandemic are taken care of. Many military families lives’ have been put on hold while orders to move to new stations are halted and plans are suspended. This bill will help those families with leasing issues and other assistance, and I look forward to working with my bipartisan colleagues to pass this legislation to help our military families,” said Senator Manchin.
MANCHIN HEARS FROM MAIN STREET FAIRMONT, MARION COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) participated in a call with Main Street Fairmont and the Marion County Chamber of Commerce to hear their concerns about the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“In West Virginia our Main Streets are the lifeblood of our communities and they are hurting due to the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused many businesses to close their doors. Our small and local businesses need help to stay afloat during this pandemic and while Congress has allocated funding to help our small businesses, the funding is still not reaching many who need it. Today I spoke with Main Street Fairmont and the Marion County Chamber of Commerce and listened to their concerns about the effects of the pandemic on their businesses and communities. Our efforts in Washington should be benefitting Main Street not Wall Street and I will continue fighting for the mom and pop shops in West Virginia to ensure they receive the help they need,” said Senator Manchin.
MANCHIN, ERNST TO INTRODUCE BILL TO GIVE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN RESPONDING TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC TRANSITIONAL HEALTHCARE BENEFITS
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Joni Ernst (R-IA), members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced they will introduce the Support Our National Guard Act next week. This bill will provide transitional healthcare benefits to National Guard servicemembers who have responded to the COVID-19 pandemic under Title 32 502(f) orders.
When a National Guard servicemember deploys on an operation abroad, the federal government provides that Guardsman with transition benefits when they return home to ensure there is no lapse in healthcare coverage. However, National Guardsmen serving on Title 32 502(f) orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic do not receive those same benefits. The Support Our National Guard Act will provide National Guard servicemembers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic with those benefits because of their efforts on the front lines of the crisis.
“As we fight the COVID-19 pandemic, our National Guard servicemembers are on the front lines, providing support for unemployment programs, feeding members of their communities, and ensuring hospitals receive essential PPE and other medical supplies. That’s why I successfully fought to extend National Guardsman Title 32 502(f) deployment orders to 31 days to ensure they received healthcare coverage while working on the front lines of the pandemic. Every day they put themselves at risk to take care of their fellow West Virginians, and I am proud to introduce bipartisan legislation with Senator Ernst to ensure our servicemembers receive the transition benefits they deserve. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to pass this legislation for our brave servicemembers,” said Senator Manchin.
MANCHIN, CAPITO ANNOUNCE MORE THAN $9.8 MILLION TO EXPAND COVID-19 TESTING IN HEALTH CENTERS ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA
Charleston, WV – U.S. Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced $9,833,557 to support 28 health centers in expanding their capacity for coronavirus testing. This funding is made as part of the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump at the end of April.
“As states across America prepare to slowly reopen, we must work to expand COVID-19 testing capabilities across the country and in West Virginia to ensure we can safely open our businesses and communities,” said Senator Manchin. “Our health centers are on the front lines of the pandemic and continue to provide rapid COVID-19 testing for many West Virginians across the Mountain State. I will continue fight for our healthcare providers to ensure that they have resources they need to expand rapid testing and care for their fellow West Virginians.”
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