Lawmaker Discusses COVID Relief Bill

covid-19-379
covid-19-379

A $1.2 billion bill to fight COVID-19 has been approved by the Michigan Legislature this past week. The plan is the latest from funding that was enacted by Congress and President Joe Biden last year. It includes $300 million to help hospitals and other healthcare facilities give recruitment and retention bonuses. State Representative Mary Whiteford says that’s not all.

“Part of the supplemental that we voted out is establishing seven sites around our state where a person can walk in, get a test, and if they’re positive for COVID, they can find out what their options are,” Whiteford said. “It is time for us to take the bull by the horns with this COVID and start saving the lives of the people in our state.”

Whiteford says there are early treatments that save lives and she believes Michigan should be on the forefront of that issue. Also included in the plan is $150 million for school safety and $70 million in grants to adult foster care facilities and nursing homes.