Congresswoman Elaine Luria and For Country Caucus Proposes Bipartisan Solutions to Address COVID-19

VIRGINIA BEACH, VA – Today, Congresswoman Elaine Luria and her colleagues in the bipartisan For Country Caucus urged Congressional leaders to focus on commonsense, consensus building solutions to address the COVID-19 pandemic. For Country Caucus consists of principled, military veteran members of Congress committed to working in a nonpartisan way to create a more productive government.

“Congress has a responsibility to work together to deliver results, especially during a public health emergency and economic crisis,” said Congresswoman Luria. “I look forward to continuing to work with my fellow veterans in For Country Caucus as we advocate for bipartisan proposals to promote national unity, grow the American economy, and ensure national security.”

Proposals in the letter include:

• Support State and Local Governments: Allow state, local, and tribal government entities to access funds previously appropriated by Congress to offset lost revenues
• Improve Servicemember Access to Medicine: Eliminate TRICARE beneficiary copays on mail order prescriptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Maritime Security Program enhancements: Allow maritime union vocational training facilities to be eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program and reject Jones Act waivers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Defense Community Infrastructure Program: Authorize and appropriate robust funding for DCIP to bolster partnerships between the DOD and state and local governments to address off-base infrastructure requirements directly affecting the value and resiliency of defense installations and local jobs impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Frontline Responder Support: Authorize and appropriate robust funding to incentivize and ensure adequate Frontline Responders are available to combat COVID-19
• Reduce Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Dependence on Foreign Ingredients: Direct the DOD to determine the extent of its dependency on foreign entities for drugs.
• Designate a National Suicide Hotline: Designate 9-8-8 as a three-digit number for a national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
• National Public Health Corps: Authorize the creation of a National Public Health Corps within the Corporation for National and Community Service to provide support to state and local health departments.