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Senator Amanda Ragan asks, “WHERE’S THE COVID RECOVERY?”

Amanda Ragan

The following is a legislative update from State Senator Amanda Ragan, representing portions of Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties:

My goal for the 2021 session is to focus on helping Iowans recover from the wide-ranging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

So far, I’ve been surprised and dismayed by how little time the Legislature is devoting to these concerns. The Legislature needs to focus more on the economic, health and community needs Iowans are facing.

While record numbers of Iowans struggle with hunger, legislative leaders are making it harder to get food assistance and other resources to make ends meet.

While out-of-work Iowans wait for unemployment benefits, some legislators are pushing proposals to make the situation worse.

While county health departments and other local government agencies struggle to meet community needs, the Governor and many legislators are chipping away at their authority, rather than providing them adequate resources to do their jobs.

There’s still time to do better. We can implement a COVID Recovery Plan<http://www.senate.iowa.gov/democrats/2021/01/our-covid-recovery-plan/> that:
1. Defeats the virus by rolling out vaccines to all Iowans as efficiently as possible.
2. Helps hurting Iowans, including struggling small businesses, food banks and workers.
3. Builds back better by focusing on critical needs, including an Essential Workers Bill of Rights.
4. Ensures accountability for how the crisis is managed.

GOP legislation cuts unemployment

The number of unemployed Iowans as a result of the pandemic remains high. Today, fewer Iowans are working than 10 years ago.

To help, Senate and House Democrats have proposed tax relief for Iowans receiving unemployment payments. But legislative Republicans want to cut jobless benefits to Iowans who are out of work through no fault of their own.

I have heard from many constituents who are waiting weeks—even months—to receive their unemployment benefits. Instead of solving the problem, legislative Republicans want to cut unemployment benefits for Iowans with families, as well as the number of weeks benefits may be collected when an employer closes its doors for good (SSB 1172<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=SSB1172>, HSB 203<https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ga=89&ba=HSB203>).

Under this legislation, laid-off Iowans must wait a week before receiving the unemployment benefits they’re due. For jobless Iowans, no week is more important than the first week they’re out of work because they often haven’t had time to make financial adjustments or find another job.

After a brutal year for thousands of families, we should focus on good policies that lift up Iowans, enhance local communities and re-charge our economy—not mean-spirited legislation that kicks Iowans when they’re down.

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