Recognition . Rep. Gottheimer consent for all the members to revise and extend and include the special order of power. Rep. Phillips is there any objection . Hearing no objection, the gentleman from new jersey is recognized for 30 minutes. Rep. Gottheimer thank you, mr. Speaker. I rise today with my fellow cochair of the problems offers solvers caucus and good friend from new york and other members of the Problem Solvers Caucus to discuss the issues of state and local funding being contemplated for the next round of cares legislation. I yield myself as much time as i may consume, mr. Speaker. I am here to fight for our state of new jersey and county and local governments. Our country is facing major battles right now, and getting including ensuring every american is protected from this virus and getting our local economies and businesses back on track. On the front lines of the battles are the workers in every community, frontline medical workers as well as lease and law police and law enforcement, firefighters, teachers and workers keeping our communities going throughout this crisis. Here, in my district in new jersey, we are one of the hardest hit areas in the country. In the counties that make up my district, we have more than 32,000 cases and have had 2100 deaths. I want to thank all of the frontline workers who sacrificed so much to keep us safe. That is truly why we need to ensure federal investment is getting to our state, counties and towns because people are working hard to stop the spread of the virus help those infected and keep everybody safe. We must get the backs of those who have been fighting day in and day out who must not be left behind. Let me be clear. The only way to make this happen is to be united and have cooperation across the aisle. We must include aid to help the state and local municipalities. Without it, our Front Line Health Care workers will suffer the most. As someone who has heard the heartbreaking story of those we say thet, let me just work they are doing is not an option. We will not get through this without their efforts. We all have to come together to support them. We are stronger when we all come together. I want to thank my senior senator from new jersey, bob menendez, for help leading the way to fight for state and local governments. And i want think our government think our government and the congressional delegation for all they are doing to fight for the local governments and our state. Thank you and i reserve the balance of my time. Rep. Reed i support direct local aid and i think we can put together and recognize that covid19 has impacted our local governments in a way they have never historically experienced. Our local governments with populations of 500,000 and below, because they have been addressed in the previous cares act package, have received nothing in regards to assistance in order to overcome the devastating impact their communities have had. I am a strong proponent of making sure that local aid is directly distributed to those local governments and making shore as we do this, that the state governments governors, and as a former mayor, i can attest firsthand, do not engage in tactics of budget cuts, reductions in their local commitments to local governments that have been historically and traditionally been between governments and the state capitals. We call that the maintenance of efforts protection that should go along with this in my opinion. As i indicated, i am not opposed to state aid. I recognize that the states have also been impacted, not just because of the population exposed to covid19 and the experience, but because of the quarantine orders and the loss of revenue our local governments and state governments have experienced as a result of the economic devastation going on across the nation. By way of quarantine and removing that cash flow to our local and state governments, that loss of revenue is something that should be adequately compensated in the state and local aid package. I look forward to the debate today and i am so proud of our members of the Problem Solvers Caucus leading the way to show that we can use technology to debate the issues of the day and do it in a way that the people of the United States of america will have credibility and commitment to know that we are doing this the right way. With that, i continue to reserve. Rep. Phillips gentleman from new jersey is recognized. Rep. Gottheimer i thank him for his words and statements. Two to minutes to the minutes to the gym and from michigan. Im happy to stand with the members of the caucus. This represents the first ever attempt to have virtual bipartisan floor debates in the history of the u. S. Congress. If you dont know the Problem Solvers Caucus, we are equal numbers of democrats and republicans who meet every week , more during covid19, and work on Bipartisan Legislation together, as our founders intended. Today, i urge my colleagues to provide direct Financial Support to states and in particular to communities small and midsized in the next recovery package. This should not be partisan issues. I joined the Rochester Hills mayor to write an oped to advocate for the support. He is a republican and also happens to be the president of the u. S. Council of mayors in michigan and across the country, this is a bipartisan issue. So far the federal government , has provided limited aid to states and cities of more than 500,000 people. In michigan, that is one single city. The aid is for covid related costs, but we havent addressed the issue of lost revenues. It will affect every single american watching today. Because of covid, citizens arent paying taxes, renting soccer fields or picnic shelters. The revenue we used to pay for our schools and teachers and First Responders and firefighters and frontline personnel comes from those revenues. The very people who are risking their lives right now are the ones who are at risk of layoffs. Everyone should understand that if we fail to help states and cities cover at least some of these costs and from last left and from lost revenue therell be layoffs and closures of public spaces and services and events will be canceled and more families and communities will find themselves in dire straits. Supporting small cities and towns is directly related to economic recovery. If the local governments are paying fewer workers, buying fewer timber goods, investing less in education and infrastructure we will struggle , to lift our economy out of the coma it is in. We learned this in spades in 2009, especially in michigan. I get it. Some members are concerned that covid may be used as an excuse to address budget issues that long predate the pandemic. To that, let me be clear. I do not support federal funds covering old debts to cities that they may have themselves hold. Lets negotiate. If we take the partisanship out of this issue, we can come up with a formula that simply and eloquently covers lost revenue, not all the debt cities are carrying. Thank you mr. Speaker, i yield back. The gentlelady yield the the gentlelady yields. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. The gentleman from new jersey reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. Thank you mr. Speaker. At this time i would be proud to yield to the great gentleman from ohio for two minutes. Gentleman from ohio is recognized for two minutes. Is the gentleman from ohio there . There he is. Today i speak in support of the muchneeded coronavirus related Economic Relief for our states. States. To be clear, it is not the history of the federal government to bail out states. But this is outside of the extraordinary situation we find yourselves into the coronavirus pandemic. Havetate leaders in ohio worked to create a responsible and balanced budget. We have created a substantial rainy day fund, but not enough to turn back the economic tide caused by this pandemic. This is a harsh reality we face despite leadership from mike dewine. The first corona governor the wind steps to omit mitigate it. Impactlth and economic of this crisis would have been worse. The fact remains that prior to the pandemic, ohio was driving. Was driving. We had a surplus. At the end of april, we are in a shortfall which can be contributed to the shutdown. Time, our economy has been shattered. We had to stop critical programs. Programs my constituents rely on. The states have incurred weightd budgets and support the social distancing guidelines for the entire nation. Our governors and state need the resources for programs like medicaid, education, and salaries for First Responders. I think you for the time in yield back. The gentleman yield. As a gentleman from new york preserved . I reserve. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. I reserve two minutes to the gentleman from new york. The gentleman from your is recognized. I want to thank the gentleman from new jersey for yielding. Thank you for the Problem Solvers Caucus for bringing this event together and doing what this caucus does best, bringing democrats and republicans together. While we all do our part to contain covid19, it is important for bipartisan debate to continue. Business never stops in this form is an important avenue for democrats and republicans to share and debate ideas. Recently, my home state of new york, the center of this pandemic, has stepped up and done everything we can to flatten the curve and help contain the coronavirus. Unfortunately, like many states and local governments, new york is facing a significant challenge with unprecedented loss of revenue, as well as covid19 related expenses. In congress, i worked with all parties to deliver aid to workers, families, and Small Businesses. I know it is not enough. I have been in Constant Contact smallfficials who called businesses, hospitals, workers and have heard from upstate new yorkers who are still struggling. I am filing and fighting tooth and nail to get our state and local governments the help they need. This week, i built a Bipartisan Coalition of state, county, and local lawmakers from my district back home, calling on washington to put partisan politics aside and provide aid for the state and local governments. I know i speak for many of my colleagues, both democrats and republicans, when i say we heroeshave our local like Police Officers, firefighters and Police Officers out to dry. Ever, we are all americans and as americans we help out our fellow countrymen and women. We dont turn our backs on each other in our time of need. I represent a moral part of the rural part of the country. We are seeing those areas hit hard and many communities are struggling who were already struggling to begin with this pandemic cannot be the nail in the coffin. It needs to be an opportunity for strong investment in a resurgence and the values that come with it, hard work and resilience. I have heard from mayors, county leaders, state legislators and oh other local governments. I will work with anyone to help deliver real results for state and local governments because the heroes and the communities need it. Safety is our number one priority and then turn our backs on the state and local governments. In areas like new york, they are left to fend for themselves and citizens will see drastic cuts to essential services. Thank you mr. Speaker, i yield back. The gentleman yields back the gentleman from jersey reserves. The gentleman from new york is recognized. I would like to yield two minutes to the gentleman from pennsylvania. Gentleman from pennsylvania is recognized for two minutes. I would like to think the congressman and the staff of the Problem Solvers staff in putting this together. It is important we show our members of congress that we can get work done and have some semblance of normal order during this crisis. Our neighbors are counting on us more than ever to continue to get things done. Southeastern pennsylvania has been one of the hardest hit in the entire nation. Andometown communities local county governments and First Responders have all been on the ground working to keep our communities safe while putting their lives at risk. They have gone above and beyond to help everyone we need to give them the resources they need to help other people. We assistrtant that the local municipalities in the next package. The resources that have been given to them have not been enough. Seeing theas we are curve flattened, but we must not take our eye off of the ball. We cannot allow a resurgence. I have, talk to countless people in the district and they need more support from the federal government to help the frontline workers in hospitals and schools and businesses. In addition to supporting states and needs of penalties, we must provide support for nonprofits. These are essential organizations on the ground in all of our communities. Terrible charitable organizations across the nation are hurting right now. We must support these critically important organizations that serve our most vulnerable citizens. To save the Small Businesses, it must include saving the charitable organizations. Congressman seth moulton and i sent a letter to Speaker Pelosi and later mccarthy to support nonprofits in the next package. We must establish a reserve dedicated to finding nonprofits and we must expand the eligibility for nonprofits to participate in the Paycheck Protection Program and modifying the current 500 employee cap and increasing reimbursements for selffunded nonprofits and we can immediately help organizations struggling to pay furloughed employees. We must strengthen tax incentives so more americans can donate to nonprofits in this era of economic uncertainty. I look forward to continuing to work with each and every one of you, democrat and republican alike. I hope everyone is doing well. I yield back. The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from new york reserves. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. I now yield two minutes to my good friend the gentlewoman from virginia. Virginiantlelady from is recognized for two minutes. Speaker. You, mr. Thank you to my colleague for new jersey and the rest of the Problem Solvers Caucus. Covid19 has created tremendous uncertainty for the dedicated men and women who serve our local communities. On nearly every call i have with local officials here in central virginia, mayors, county administrators, board of supervisors, i hear about the pandemic is threatening the stability to get the lights on, keep the water running, and maintain critical emergency medical services. Our communities are adapting and budgeting, but it is hard. I hear from families in my district who are forced to rely on local services now more than ever as they face immense financial and health care hardships. Virginias county governments are not only dealing with an unprecedented uptick in demand for essential services, but they are doing so during an unprecedented economic downturn. Congress took the steps to provide essential health to our stall Small Businesses and now small localities across the country, including virginia, need help. As we discussed the next response package, we need to remember the stories. In response im a we need relief funding to our states in response, we need relief funding to our states and local music polities. Municipalities. Many are still unsure about how much the state allocation will be available to the present covid19 related needs. Thankfully, there is strong bipartisan support for rectifying the oversight. Effort alongtisan with my friend from new york, to call on leaders of both parties to make sure direct funding can go to localities for under 500,000 residents. Many democrats and republicans signed onto the letter enjoying our efforts. Providing funding for critical local services in the face of this devastating pandemic is not a partisan issue. That is why i urge my colleagues to support these measures. I yield back. The gentlelady yields. Does the gentleman from new jersey reserve . I reserve. The gentleman from new york is recognized during recognized. I would like to recognize the gentleman from new york. The gentleman is recognized for two minutes. I want to echo the sentiments of my colleagues about the value of the problems over caucus Problem Solver caucus. The importance of working , the pandemic has for state and local governments to confront and challenge like nothing with seen in our lifetime. I spoke to the state and local offices in Central New York regarding effectively responding to the pandemic. In my district alone, companies are experiencing shortfalls as high as 90 million. Passedongress has duringtion aimed to help these challenging times, more must be done. As we consider elite from state and local governments, Congress Must maintain a strong oversight and ensure federal funds are not used to fund preexisting budget gaps that occurred in places like new york state. Assistanceo ensure especially for those who have not received fund under the cares act. County, they received 110 million from the cares act because they were just about 500,000. They used money to give bonuses to the workers. In another county, just below 500,000, they received zero money and may not receive any and we had to furlough many individuals. That is a stark contrast. Without extended support, these communities will face restrictions and be able for workersovide during this crisis. It should also strengthen federal investments and improve programs for Community Oriented policing services and assistance to firefighter grants. We should provide substance substantive aid to local governments. The gentleman yields back. The gentleman from new jersey is recognized. I now yield two minutes to my very good friend and leader. To whom did you yield . It looks like i am not. I will yield to my dear friend from las vegas, susie lee. The gentlelady from nevada is recognized for two minutes. Thank you. I want to thank both of the cochairs for the caucus for calling us together for this important debate, demonstrating that we can and must continue space, even though our divides us in terms of geographical location there is no doubt that all cities and towns are strugglin