Dear fellow South Carolinians,

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Bringing Economic Opportunity:
In the midst of the current economic crisis, I am leading Senate colleagues in asking the U.S. Department of Treasury and the IRS to support the most economically distressed communities through Opportunity Zones. Created in 2017, the Opportunity Zones initiative has proven to be a powerful tool in incentivizing private investment in low-income communities across the country. With the adjustments that my colleagues and I laid out in our letter last Monday, it will continue providing opportunity to our most vulnerable communities, helping them get back on their feet after the losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. You can read our full letter here.

Feeding Families, Supporting Businesses:
Last Tuesday, Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-CA), Representatives Mike Thompson (CA-05), Jim McGovern (MA-02), Rodney Davis (IL-13), and I joined Chef José Andrés in introducing the FEMA Empowering Essential Deliveries (FEED) Act. This bill enables the federal government to pay 100 percent of costs when states and local governments partner with local restaurants and nonprofits to provide nutritious meals to vulnerable populations during the COVID-19 crisis. In this time of need, the FEED Act brings together the best parts of the private and public sectors to help individuals receive nourishment and restaurants receive much-needed business. It is truly a win-win. You can read the text of the FEED Act here.

I also invited Chef José Andrés to chat with me about the bill in a special Instagram live episode last Thursday, which you can view by clicking on my Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter pages.

Improving COVID-19 Testing:
As last week came to a close, I had the pleasure of joining my bipartisan colleagues on the Senate HELP (Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) Committee in holding a hearing on the importance of testing. For a short update on that hearing and the great testing progress being made, check out my latest #TwoWithTim episode, also available on my Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter pages.

I also recently wrote letters to both Governor Henry McMaster and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, asking that they expand testing capacity for high-risk facilities like nursing homes. Thankfully, South Carolina has truly risen to that challenge. The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced on Wednesday that, over the next two months, it will test over 200,000 South Carolinians, including all 40,000 residents and staff at nursing homes. These are vital steps on the road to our state’s recovery, and I applaud Governor McMaster and his team for their work to protect the most vulnerable among us.

Hastening Aid for New Parents:
Just before Mother’s Day weekend, I also joined Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Mike Braun (R-IN) in announcing a bipartisan proposal to speed up stimulus checks to parents with newborns. Currently, parents with children born after January 1, 2020 must wait until they file taxes in calendar year 2021 to receive their $500 relief payments. This proposal would waive the existing Child Tax Credit rules and allow parents to receive their checks much sooner, when that money is most needed.

Resources:
If you are feeling ill, click here for information from the South Carolina Hospital Association on tele-health options. More complete information on resources for South Carolinians is also available on my website or my Facebook page.

Last week, Governor McMaster lifted the “work or home” order for South Carolina. Today, as he continues to reopen the economy, he is allowing restaurants to begin operating at 50% capacity. Once again, we all must play a part in making these actions successful by following public health guidelines as closely as possible. Please remember to wash your hands thoroughly for 20 seconds, use cloth masks in public (leaving medical-grade masks for medical personnel), and – critically – stay home when feeling ill. More CDC guidelines and other helps are available at www.coronavirus.gov.

As progress continues to be made here in D.C., I am constantly proud to represent the people of South Carolina. Stories of your strength and selflessness continue to inspire me, even from afar.

Sincerely,

Tim