Hear from U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell on the federal response to COVID-19.
Good morning everyone. This is Tammy Karen, right, the chief operating officer at the Detroit regional chamber and welcome to another of the Detroit regional chambers tele town hall meetings. These town halls have been very, very well attended and the chamber is pleased to bring you relevant information as well as all work through as we all work through this changing environment that we're experiencing due to coven 19. Um, just a few simple things up front for you. Um, all participants are on mute but you do have the opportunity to submit questions. The box on the right side of your screen is where you submit those questions. We'll get to as many as we can in the 10 that we have together, our government relations team. However, we'll also follow up after the call to help those whose questions did not get answered. An audio version of this discussion will be available on the Chamber's resource site by the end of today and that is Detroit chamber.com/coven night. So today I'm very pleased to welcome representative Debbie Dingo of the 12th district in Michigan to provide an update from Washington regarding covert 19 response by our national leaders. Also joining me on the calls bred Williams doesn't have government relations at the Detroit chamber and he'll be managing the questions. So welcome. Congresswoman Dingle.
Speaker 2:Thank you Tammy. The boring to everybody. It's good to talk to you. If not, see you. Like many of you, uh, I know, I know how scary these times are. All the different challenges[inaudible] how people are really looking for answers. What are we going to do? What's going to happen? And that's why when the temper asked me if I would talk to all, okay, it's be glad to do it. Um, I want to answer your questions, provide the information I have to protect and share it to protect your family. And then what are the, how you can access the support and resources that are available to you as well as give you,
Speaker 1:okay.
Speaker 2:There are a lot of protocols that are doing everything that they can to keep our communities safe and secure. Well real[inaudible]
Speaker 1:[inaudible]
Speaker 2:I'm not going to be political today, but anybody who thinks that this is going to be done by Easter, it's not going to be, Mmm. We need right now in a phase of mitigation. I mean, due diligence from the part of[inaudible] everyone right now in the near future, which means when the governor put out a stay at home order means stay. Yeah. Home kids don't go to each other's house in play. Seniors don't play cards. You don't get bored and go someplace. We need to stay at home. We are becoming epicenter. Detroit is likely to be, or the Southeast, these three counties, it's doubling each day. And the only way to stop that is to stay home. So please their leaders on this phone.[inaudible] we need to be leaders, uh, and that, but we also need to make sure that the frontline person, health care, food supply and central services can do their jobs. And we've got a responsibility to support that as well. And quite frankly, having the grocery store, do you talk to your stores? They tell you that there's plenty of food in the supply chain.[inaudible] we'll see. Okay. We have to try to keep it people from panicking. Okay. And I know for many of you there's been some really difficult times, some heartbreaking decisions has closing up shop and in many cases playing off your employees for the time being. Right.[inaudible] the bill that we should pass. And I wish I had, I can talk a little about the, yeah, but the Senate passed last night. We are still getting information today. The house will vote on it tomorrow, but that bill, which passed the Senate, which is like unheard of[inaudible] past because we know we have to get money into the economy. We need to stimulate it. And it is. Yeah, it is putting money into the small business program. There are programs, we've got to get you the details. How do you apply, how do we get it to you? But well[inaudible] we will, you'll get a$10,000 small business loan, but if you're able to stay open, keep your employees, that's going to become a grant. You're not going to have to repay it. We've had to infuse the unemployment, uh, practitioners so that people are getting cash. We're putting, I think this happened, I've still been asking this question all morning, that there$600 on the unemployment payments on top of what they would usually get. It'll be extended. You saw today it's the highest unemployment numbers. Mmm[inaudible] we've seen in the history of this country, but we need to reassure people. And so what we're doing in Washington is trying to reassure, put money into the economy where it needs to be. This is the third tronch the first two. Um, good. The first was to just make sure we're getting money to the healthcare system. Yeah. There was money to get the testing up there. There's money to develop the vaccines, et cetera. The second dealt with starting to get it unemployment, making sure every person that should get a coronavirus test doesn't not go and get it because they can't afford it. There's still a real shortage of testing and it's taken too long. I'm not going to sugar coat anything. It's taken too long to get these test results back are our biggest crisis in maybe someone could mute. Our biggest classes right now in this state and across the country is physical protection equipment. Our hospitals are running out of those supplies and we got to make sure we're getting them Mmm. To them. So not entire congressional delegation, Republicans and Democrats have really been okay about that. A first priority for everyone. Yeah. It's to mitigate the spread of the disease. The effects of this virus is going to ripple through our economy for our long time and we're not going to be able to rebound if we don't have hardworking men and women, uh, Southeastern Michigan healthy or when the workers are one of our greatest resources and keeping them in their families healthy. It's got to ensure ability to come back, you know? Can you, Tammy, are you talking,
Speaker 1:I was going to add was you, go ahead. Yep. I was going to follow up on something you said, but please go ahead.
Speaker 2:Okay. Well, I just want to say, remind people that it's not only the elderly, we are seeing young and healthy people get it. And we saw someone in Detroit that everybody knew died this week. It's real. So governor Witmer's order, stay home, stay safe, save lives matters, and it's going to last for three weeks. And I'm trying to work with her because I know that businesses have had a lot of questions about what that means. If you look, um, we've got numbers for you to call websites for all of these. I work with Tammy to make sure that is Mmm. Uh, on your West side as well. And I think maybe I've probably talked too long. I will say this, and I've also work nonstop with the autos in the suppliers and the[inaudible]. I've been on the phone with the CEO, so I've been on the phone with most of the local unions. People are working together. They want to keep their employees safe.[inaudible] is money in this bill that's going to pass that. We'll have a large fund that autos will be, will be able to access. And I'm telling you[inaudible] conversation I had, I talked about the supplier, the suppliers, the suppliers because in 2008 this park community was not talked about as much. So you all know the situation's valving. It's going to keep evolving, but we got to remain calm. We've got a mate diligent, you've got to mitigate. Everybody on this call is a leader. Leaders have to lead. We'll get through this. We've gone through partially for, it's new and unique, but if we stay calm, we work together, we're going to get through it. So you go back to you Tammy.
Speaker 1:All right. Thank you Congresswoman and thank you for that, that good broad overview and covering so many of the important elements of what we need to focus on day to day, especially a thank you to you for fighting you on behalf of our automotive industry and all of our industries. Let me just ask you an easy, quick question based on the economic relief fund and what you do know to this point. Um, what specifically do you think will be the most beneficial in that stimulus fund for the Michigan business community?
Speaker 2:Well, I think that they're going to be several things. So they're small business money being ramped up. There's new infusions of cash and you can start to apply for those loans now, uh, to the small business side. And we've also, we did a conference call yesterday and we can work with you Tammy, to get the small business administration Mmm. To work with you on that.[inaudible] two funds there. This is what I've been working on. I want to see the final language. So anything I'd tell you all, um, you know, I'm still the bills coming over to the house. We haven't gotten the final bill but us nonstop time on the phone. There is a larger fund. Some people call it the munition stimulus fund. Uh, which hello? Oh, a lot of it's got a trillion[inaudible] something in it 0.5 0.7 that it's the key, the problem for businesses right now is that you need liquidity. So how do we ensure that you've got the liquidity that you need? So there's a larger fund that larger corporations like the OEMs would be able to go to in tier one suppliers. And then there's something we called the Warner fund, uh, for purposes of writing this bill, I don't know what we'll call it[inaudible] we're done with this bill, but which would be for employers 500 with 500 employees or less. And they will both be funds that, you know, people were really working for loan guarantees, their grants in there. It's all really[inaudible]. We know what we had to do to get to you. I worked with NEMA, I worked with the supplier community. I worked with the OEMs directly, the auto Alliance. Debbie Stabenow worked her heart and soul out on this over on the Senate side. The house set[inaudible] more provisions. But I think, yeah, Debbie was feeling very good on[inaudible] where they came out. And as soon as we get the final details, I hate to say this to you, but it was all still being written yesterday. Yeah. Um, we'll make sure that we get the information to everybody who cares about it.
Speaker 1:Oh, well thank you very much. And we'll make sure to everything you do forward to us. Congresswoman, we'll make sure it's a part of our Hovis, uh, covers 19, uh, website. Also in it at some point last year, they had information with you, but let's, um, let's go to Brad. Brad, do you have some questions ready from our folks on the line? Thank you. So, uh, for
Speaker 3:your service right now, particularly right now, um, I've got a question, uh, from a mother, uh, uh, who has, uh, children with cystic fibrosis and, and I'm sure this is top of mind, not just for, uh, parents of children with cystic fibrosis, but also anyone who's got a family member, particularly vulnerable, but she asks what can be done, uh, for moms who can't go to work for fear of bringing home, uh, the virus to their vulnerable children. Can they go on unemployment? Are there other things that, uh, other earrings of assistance that are available to them, um, in, in those particular situations?
Speaker 2:Yes. So the first thing I'm going to say to anybody who has an underlying condition like that. Yeah, this is the first cystic fibrosis question I've gotten.[inaudible] you need to stay home, period. Your child is at increased risk. This virus is spreading and I just don't sugarcoat it. People need to stay home period. What we have is um, there w these, these legislations that we are passing right now and quite frankly it's the second bill that we passed it really well help her is that if someone is sick with the coronavirus, there's a very specific 14 day paid time off, but we have a four month a family plan lead that will be paid. If you need to take[inaudible] time off related to the coronavirus, your case can clearly indicate, yeah, you've got a child, it's an underlying condition. Uh, our office can help you get there, apply for what you need to do. That's all being ramped up right now by the agencies. But you are somebody that, that's why we did the four months paid family leave because we know you need to stay home and take care of your child.
Speaker 3:Okay. There's also a lot of questions about the small business components of this, you know, first of all, um, when and how, um, can small businesses apply for, uh, the funding and the loans that are available under the stimulus? I mean, I know you still have to vote on it and the president has an assignment, so this is maybe a little bit of a fluid, uh, situation, but is there a, is there an understanding of when and how this will be available?
Speaker 2:Oh, we've already[inaudible] increase your mind mind. It's in his baldness, his long, and it's obviously changing as we're talking. We'll pass the bill by tomorrow, but I did a phone call last night with people from the Detroit small business, uh, the administration and Sandy, this has been your background as well. And they were talking people through questions, answering their questions, telling them how to get formed. You can go to their website. It did crash, both the unemployment and the SBA side crash. They brought him back up. They suggest maybe going in off peak hours, but I would like to make it very specific suggestions that the Detroit, you hosted town hall with the Detroit SBA administration to answer questions and help facilitate how people can do this quickly. You should apply online, but you've probably got questions as you're reading the information that's there and it's going to change as soon as this bill passes wrong. We've been addressing a number of the issues I've heard about from restaurant owners and small business owners that are concerned about tie backs to their personal residences, their kids funds. They're trying very much to address those. I think they have been, yeah. I don't lie to people when I don't have every detail. So I think we need to get this bill passed tomorrow to see what's been done in addition to the funds we put into it in the second Phil and I, I think it would be really useful to have a, but just a dedicated[inaudible] town hall with the SBA, uh, to answer those questions. And yeah, I'm glad to listen in so I can understand you. She was sort of coming up and sort of be an oversight on it so that I can go back and pursue where it's not clear.
Speaker 1:I can follow up on that Congresswoman. Um, just to let you know, we do have a town hall scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 AM and it's going to be with the Michigan district office of the SBA and you're going to be giving input on application advice and answering questions. So if you want to tune in tomorrow at 11:00 AM it'll be another great town home.
Speaker 2:I will do that. But I would say to people that it's important because you can see their things. I've been helping small business owners already do applications, get in the queue and do some work. We in this bill are[inaudible] adding things, uh,[inaudible]. Okay. We are making these loans into grants of up to 10,000 so that we can provide immediate relief for operating costs. Mmm. If somebody applied for an economic injury disaster loan, yeah. Mmm. I think details, it's going to take a week or two. Sandy comes from SBA. This is going to be expedited. Everything is, yeah. Everything we're doing is on steroids, but even though everybody's doing it on steroids, it does take few days to be able to get some of this actually into a workable fashion.
Speaker 3:Congresswoman, I know you said you're not going to get political and I appreciate that, but there's been questions both today and yesterday about, uh, the president's statement that he'd like to see everything opened up by Easter. Uh, in a question of how that interacts with, uh, the governor's stay at home order, which of course extends til the day after Easter. And you know, you know, potentially you could extend
Speaker 2:beyond that. Can, can you just explain for the people who are listening in, um, what the interaction is between, uh, you know, the governor's power under the emergency, uh, emergency powers and that the, the president's power, who, you know, how do, how does that work, just so people understand that. I'm going to be really blunt, first of all, everybody on this phone to want to scientific scientific data to track that decision and let the hell experts drive that decision. So I'm going to say that is one issue too. I'm going to say, fortunately the president doesn't have a say when States we opened that's clearly stated in the law that the governors have that responsibility. So it's the governor please. Authority is the one that dictates what is happening in a state in terms of the preventative measures that we have to take to mitigate this. Mmm. Having said that, there are some, I'm not going to sugar coat. Hmm. Really up spent, I'm on the phone from 6:00 AM to midnight every day and last week the president on his conference call with the governors, told them to go out and get their own supplies. The, uh, we have a lot of hospitals across this country that need ventilators and respirators and masks, gloves, and need to keep their doctors and nurses safe.[inaudible][inaudible] national stockpile has w what Michigan got had enough for one shift. So our governor working with our bipartisan congressional delegations, there is no partisanship and working on all of this, uh, and many of the businesses in Michigan began to try to find supplies and was arranging for some to be shipped. And on Tuesday night, uh, we did a delegation call. I got a phone call, an hour or two earlier where[inaudible] the material that was, or supplies that were scheduled to be shipped to the States. The suppliers had suddenly been told that, uh, they can no longer ship that the federal government was taking over distribution. And quite frankly, these Nick's signals. Now, Alyssa SOCAN thinks that the person that, uh, it's at who's been put in charge of the supply chain is very talented and knows what he's doing and is trying to step up and help these issues. I know that there are many Michigan companies that you've seen that uh, Chrysler, Ford and GM are all trying to jams, working on ventilators. Uh, Ford is making multiple, it's doing gloves and shields and gowns and Chrysler is doing masks. And many of the suppliers change here have components it can help from ventilators and want to do, uh, this other work. But the disconnect between the federal and the state level right now is a problem. We are working together to the, um, we asked that the vice president called the governor yesterday and he did, they've had a direct conversation. Our delegation talks to each other. I talked to Fred Upton, I guess this doesn't surprise me buddy. Probably 10 or 15 times a day. He called me right before this call started. We don't have time to play games. We have to get down in what we have to get done. We're trying to get NASA shipped in from China. But uh, yesterday the FDA lifted, they still believe that this mask is safe, but in lifted the, under the emergency authority mass could come in from South Korea and Mexico and six other for other state countries. But China wasn't on it. Well, China's got the most mass. We can get a million mass to Michigan within a week if we can get that lifted. So Fred, Oh, made his calls. I made my calls. We're working together to try to address these issues. Okay. This is time that the federal and the state government has to work together. We need to have somebody in charge that's really doing this. I think there are a lot of good talented people, um, at the federal level who are trying to work around some difficult circumstances on certain days. But I won't take partisan shots. We got to protect our country. And that's my answer.
Speaker 3:Hey, there's a question here about, uh, higher education and particularly help our students. It says the media is reporting that the stimulus bill, it's funding to help students and higher education institutions. Any details on that support?
Speaker 2:Uh, we were on the phone with the ed committee yesterday and I mean you have seen, uh, yeah, yeah, I think we've been trying to ensure that higher education education that student loans are having there. They're not having to[inaudible] most of the payments are being waived for at the time looking at refinancing. Mmm. There has Ben support for the higher ed, well, the local school systems in higher ed to provide educational service to their students online. But again, there's a disconnect impact that people who probably need it the most don't have computers. And how do we get some computers? I don't read, I don't have the specific details of what we're in the final package and as soon as we get it, I'll make that available.
Speaker 3:Okay. Mmm. There is some, uh, questions in here, also a Congresswoman about, uh, nonprofits and, uh, what, um, sort of support they can expect under this bill. And I know that it's been a consistent question that we've, uh, seen all week about nonprofits. Uh, and we had Senator Peters with us, uh, yesterday and at that point it looked there was going to be some support for five Oh one[inaudible] uh, but maybe not five, but once he's six is, do you know if that has changed? Um, overnight, uh, since we last spoke to Senator
Speaker 2:Jim Cliburn are, um, you know, each of us has kind of taken leads on different things, but having Jim Cliburn as the champion of feather would see threes in churches is not a bad thing. He felt very strongly about it. Um, that was one of the areas they were still riding when we did our phone call yesterday. But we'll walk on tour. Gary was in the room. Uh, and you know, we've got a problem that churches are treated differently and you all, and what about unemployment for the[inaudible]? They're workers. So that was all being worked on and we will get you information on that as we get the bill today.
Speaker 3:Can I ask a followup question to that? Um, if it in fact doesn't add[inaudible] to this bill, is there a potential for future bills perhaps? Yes.
Speaker 2:So I want to say to you all, there's a lot of things, I don't know how people on this phone feel, but I was working with Rashida because I don't really have a problem that a public health crisis right now that we're telling people to wash their hands every time they do. And there are people throughout the state that don't have running. Uh, we were trying to make sure that there was money to support local governments and people to turn the water on for everybody. Some of this, uh, in the city of Detroit spring. Great. I'm doing a conference, Mmm. With the mirror at one o'clock. Right. Quite frankly, the plan, Detroit's probably the worst example right now in that they have the highest numbers and it's for many reasons the water's been off for so long. The plumbing's bad. They're trying to get plumbers to work the problem, it's me. I haven't run them water during the public health crisis.[inaudible] a major, it just to me is one Oh one public health. Well it's not in the bill so and another I think just did make it, I was pushing very hard with Fred Upton for Cobra. A lot of people are having to[inaudible]. They ask their employees right now and Cobra for supplier community can be$2,000 a month. Well, when you're on unemployment and trying to take care of a family, that's a lot of money. So people are going to go without health insurance. So we're fighting for, there's so many things in this bill. All the different things that you have to think about. I'm pretty sure our copra support is in there. It was at five o'clock last night, but I never say, I tell you see it in writing. So that's why I'm not going to, I don't tell you the truth. I'll tell you what I know. Um, but we have to have another bill. We're going to have to have a fourth traunch and a fifth tronch and you have to have hope. So if it's in this bill, we had to get money into the economy. We had to get this economic stimulus going, but we know we have a lot more issues to address and we're going to address them.
Speaker 3:Read back to you. All right. The last question I have for you, uh, Congresswoman and then I will hand it back off to Tammy. Um, this is something that we've heard from a lot of members, uh, both in the chat and, um, uh, and offline about, uh, automotive suppliers in the supply chain. Uh, and, um, the question of, uh, you know, resuming production, um, particularly those who have, uh, OEMs, suppliers in States where they are not, uh, on a stay at home order, uh, and they're, uh, the customers are requesting that they go back to work, uh, in the state, you know, is, isn't, is unable to maybe provide the guidance that they're looking for. Is there any, uh, federal guidance on, uh, what they should do, uh, in this, uh, situation? Or do you have a, a thought on this?
Speaker 2:So I probably have thoughts. There isn't any federal guidance and you know, I'll say to a lot of you, we got up. Yeah. You know, one of the reasons I'm quite frankly don't want the defense production. I w I mean, I know there are companies that do not want the defense production[inaudible] and I think we have no chores. I think if you could get the calls, and I'm getting from the nurses and doctors in these hospitals and how scared they are, I don't care what, okay, I do care. We got to get the supplies to these people. Um, I haven't, there were some people that thought that we should start creating w standards with, uh, for each plant and having labor. But you know, many of you have contracts with unions, you know what you need to do. So I was getting mixed signals about whether people wanted regulation, what they wanted and there was so much going on in it[inaudible] at the federal level that that has not happened. If people, I think that they want it, I would be curious on that. I've been more focused on that sentence. Action. Yeah. Which I do think that we need, okay. I have spent, okay. I have been okay last week I was not off the phone for five days with the OEMs and the UIW and I think people did not realize how scared their workforces were and what was going on in the plant. And I think one of the most important things I would say that say to any employer is the need to be transparent. If someone gets the coronavirus in your operation, help people do what you have to do to take the people that were around him and puts him into, but don't take one, you get a positive test. And quite frankly it's taking too long on these tests. I have, I mean I will just tell you personally, I was around somebody who was around somebody but in a very close contact for several days and that person's test has not come back. Some symptomatic fever has not come back for nine days on a test. So okay, sort of self quarantining and, but I am so quarantine because that's the responsible thing we have to do and we're not getting these tests back fast enough. But when someone comes back with a positive test in your operation, telling people to go home, not tell anybody, it's the worst thing you can do because then everybody posted on Facebook and everybody goes into a state of panic. You have to make sure that you've got people that are cleaning the facilities. And I can tell you nightmares from last week that wasn't getting from the plant shop cause it's Pete salt at the top. Uh, and there weren't enough people to clean the plant. People were afraid. Uh, th they were the sanitation companies that cleans many of the plants around here was begging people, was taking a bus from here to Chicago to do the Ford plant and people[inaudible] showing up and people weren't distancing in the plant. We've got to get more supplies. So Chrysler is making Nass now and not only are date making mass to help the hospitals, but they're gonna give their employees masks. So, you know, Oakland County has told people they've got to take temperatures before they go into work. We need to have really pragmatic con. I've had more for stations on all of this and I'm happy to do it with anyone one on one. It's too broad a group to do it. Yeah. You know, if you've got a large company, a supplier may do, taking people's temperatures, they're going into the plant can, and somebody who's got a temperature can create total panic. Is there a way people can check their temperatures at home? Is there other texts, analogy? All those things need to be thought through so that you can guarantee your employees get there in safe working site. Now we have plants that are opened. They're going to be making these, this, these nasty P, the personal protection orders. They're going to be volunteers. So it's going to be workers that are volunteering to come into work. And you keep people with preexisting conditions out of the workforce right now. Well it's a threat to them if they pick up this virus. Mmm. I'm probably going on too long, but I've spent a lot of time on this one, so.
Speaker 3:Well thank you. Just so folks know, um, we are doing our best to get through as many questions as possible, but as we have been, uh, throughout this series, the questions don't get to, uh, my team on the government relations team here at the chamber is collecting them, uh, doing our best to reconnect with you and see if we can't get you an answer either through the congresswoman's office or through our own resources. So know that either we didn't get to your question today. We're going to do our best to get you an answer, uh, here in the, in the next, uh, 24 to 48 hours.
Speaker 1:Thank you very much, Brad. Um, thanks for all your help with the managing the questions today. Um, can I just, uh, first, uh, let me thank you for your continued effort to look out for Michigan, uh, defined bipartisan solutions and behalf of the issues you we're dealing with. Um, the information you provided today was extremely helpful. Um, I know for all of the folks on the line and I enjoyed hearing, I know there's going to be a lot more to break in the next couple of days and we'll be watching that, but we really appreciate you giving us the most up to date what you, you think is going to be happening, um, uh, and uh, sharing that with us. Would you like to make any, um, final remarks, Congresswoman,
Speaker 2:Mmm, available to[inaudible]. I am trying to communicate with everybody on a regular basis, DME and reached out and said, would you do this? I said yes. Right away. I talked to my elected officials, my mayors, my County officials, my state reps twice a week, and the coordinate what's going on? What do we need to know? We do communication every day. I do a post every day. I do town halls every week. We, all of us, we need to communicate with the people that are part of our organizations, people that we touch. And I also would say a personal comment that I hate the word social distancing right now. I love the word should be physical distancing. We should all the using our technology, we should be socially reaching out to people. We need to answer your question so you know what to do to keep your business open. It may be closed, but how do we keep you strong through so that the economy's strong when we come out of this, how do we answer questions for your employees? We're all here and we want to answer, and I think the best thing for me to do is to go through Tammy and Brad. Okay, I'm here. I work seven days a week. And guys, this is Debbie thingo. You're talking about, I'm home alone. Today's a week. So the was not a human being meant to be home alone. So I prefer working. Nobody should ever hesitate to call me. I'm always available.
Speaker 1:Well, with that, we thank you for this continued activity and service that you, you, you work so hard for us daily, um, to all of our participants on the line. Thank you for joining us today. Um, we'll, we'll have another town hall tomorrow, as I mentioned earlier, at 11:00 AM, um, with representatives of the Michigan district of the small business administration. So we hope you'll join us then and to everyone on the call, I hope you have a great day and Congresswoman, stay strong. Thank you. Thanks to all of you. You guys stay strong.