{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-shares-what-you-need-know-covid-19-may-7", "Greg Walden Shares What You Need to Know on COVID-19 - May 7", "2020-05-07", "2020", "2020-05", "Republican", "House", "OR", "Greg Walden", "W000791", "walden.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Representative Greg Walden (R-Hood River) released an update on COVID-19 for May 7, 2020.\nThe latest on the coronavirus:\nProvider Relief Funding for Oregon The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released information about providers who have received and attested to funding from the general distribution allocation of the Provider Relief Fund as of May 4. The 2nddistrict received $89,336,084 from the first $30 billion allocation from the CARES Actfor hospitals and health care providers. Oregon has received over $394 million from the first $50 billion allocation from the CARES Actfor hospitals and health care providers. This includes money allocated tohospitalsand health care providers who had high Medicaid and Medicare Advantage populations and as a result receivedminimal funding from the first allocation of $30 billion. HHS will continue to update this database on a rolling basis, Morehere.\nWalden Calls on the Governorto Help Local Governments with COVID-related Expenses: This week, Congressman Greg Walden called on Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Legislative Leaders to share a portion of the funds Congress sent to states with local governments to help them deal with unexpected COVID-19-related costs. In a letter to the Governor, Walden made it clear that Congress fully intended for a portion of the $1.6 billion sent to the state of Oregon be shared with local governments to help them cope with unexpected costs related to the coronavirus. Walden has worked with the U.S. Department of Treasury to help get answers to questions and guidance for those seeking appropriate relief. In the letter, Walden noted that the further guidance the Department of Treasury issued last nightmakes it clear that COVID-related costs borne by local governmentareeligible for assistance from the state.You can find that guidancehere. Read Walden's letterhere.\nGood News for Farmers and Ranchers: The Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that agricultural businesses are now eligible for the SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) as part of the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act. SBA's portal has reopened for farmers, ranchers, and certain other agricultural businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. More infohere.\nMore PPE for Oregon: More Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is headed to Oregon as a result of the Trump Administration's Project Airbridge, which is run by FEMA. The project will help efficiently maintain the country's existing medical supply chain infrastructure.The goal is to reduce the amount of time it takes for U.S. medical supply distributors to get commercially sourced and procured PPE and other critical supplies into the country for their customers. FEMA is covering the cost to fly the supplies into the U.S. from overseas factories, which will cut the amount of time it takes to ship supplies from weeks to days.\nBelow is what FEMA sent to Oregon:\n Coveralls - 3,630\n\tGloves - 96,724\n\tSurgical Gowns - 138,898\n\tSurgical Masks - 319,101\n\tVentilators - 140\n\tFace Shields - 130,643\n\tN95 Respirators - 357,920\n An Update on SBA PPP Loans: Last week, the Small Business Administration (SBA) began processing more Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loans. This comes after President Trump signed into law more funding for the PPP. The SBA said that by yesterday the PPP had approved over 2.44 million loans in the second round of funding for more than $131 billion. This is in addition to the 1.6 million loans and $342 billion approved in round one. The average loan size for round two is just over $75,000, and nearly one-third of all the approved loan dollars from this round have come from lenders with under $10 billion in assets. Learn morehere.\nAn Update on Testing: More than 7.75 million tests for COVID-19 have been performed in the United States.\nRecently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention broadened its priority for testing, adding symptomatic first responders and people in long term-care facilities, prisons and shelters to the top tier. The priority list for the first time includes people without symptoms at a clinician or public-health authority's discretion.\nWatch out for COVID-19 Scams: BoththeFederal Trade Commissionand theFederal Communications Commissionare reporting a spike in coronavirus related scams including home testing kits, fake cures, and other malicious attempts to prey onCOVID-19fears.The Treasury Department will NOT ask you to pay anything for the payment most Americans will receive as a result of the CARES Act and will not contact you for your bank account information.If you are contacted by someone claiming to be from the government asking for this type of information, please report it towww.ftc.gov/complaint. You can learn more about how to protect yourself from these types of scamshere.\nResources to Know and Share:Here are some helpful resources and information on COVID-19.\nHow to Get Your Individual Payments: The IRS launched theGet My Paymentweb portal with features to let taxpayers check on their Economic Impact Payment date and update direct deposition information.Click hereto check on the status of your payment.\nVeteranswho receive disability compensation, a pension, or survivor benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs DO NOT need to do anything to receive their payment. Those on Social Security who do not file taxes also DO NOTneed to file anything to receive this new payment. Low income individuals with a gross income between $12,200 for individuals and $24,400 for married couples that do not file taxes,WILL need to submit information to the IRS to receive this payment.You can provide this information through the IRS's website here.\nHelpful Resources on PPE: CDC updated the PPE Burn Rate Calculator, a spreadsheet-based model that will help health care facilities plan and optimize the use of PPE for response to COVID-19. Morehere. You can now see PPE shipments to Oregon countieshere.\nASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESSES The Paycheck Protection Program prioritizes millions of Americans employed by small businesses by authorizing billions in funding toward job retention and certain other expenses. Small businesses and eligible nonprofit organizations, Veterans organizations, and Tribal businesses described in the Small Business Act, as well as individuals who are self-employed or are independent contractors, are eligible if they also meet program size standards. For a top-line overview of the programCLICK HERE  \n\tIf you're a lender, more information can be foundHERE  \n\tIf you're a borrower, more information can be foundHERE  \n\tThe application for borrowers can be foundHERE\nOther resources on the Paycheck Protection Program:\n  INFORMATION FOR AMERICANS ABROAD: The State Department has repatriated over 76,500 Americans from more than 130 countries. The State Department is making efforts to bring home Americans, including through commercial flights, chartered flights, and military transport. Any American abroad who needs assistance should contact their local U.S. embassy and register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), availablehereor by calling 1-888-407-4747. If you decide to travel abroad or are already outside the United States:\n Consider returning to your country of residence immediately using whatever commercial means are available.\n\tHave a travel plan that does not rely on the U.S. Government for assistance.\n\tReview and follow theCDC's guidelinesfor the prevention of coronavirus.\n\tCheck with your airline, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.\n\tVisittravel.state.govto view individual Travel Advisories for the most urgent threats to safety and security.\n\tVisit Embassy webpages on COVID-19 for information on conditions in each country or jurisdiction.\n\tVisit theDepartment of Homeland Security'swebsite on the latest travel restrictions to the United States\n   ASSISTANCE FROM HHS AND FEMA: HHS and FEMA have fielded many requests to assist or partner with the Federal Government in response to the COVID pandemic.\n Organizations or individuals seeking to contract with the federal government to import or manufacture medical products to aid the U.S. response submit information to FEMA through a Request for Proposal, availablehere.\n\tOrganizations or individuals that wish to donate medical supplies or equipment can submit that informationhere.\n\tOther inquiries from organizations or individuals, including individuals who want to volunteer or organizations that want to produce a product related to the COVID response, among other inquiries, can be referred tohttps://www.fema.gov/coronavirus/how-to-help.\n How to schedule a blood donation appointment:\nFast Facts:Here are some helpful stats on COVID-19 asof5/6/20 Cases of COVID-19: U.S.current case count :There are currently at least 1,227,430 cases and 73,095 deaths in the United States, as reported by Johns Hopkins and other media sources.\nOregon current case count :2,916 Baker: 1 Benton: 40 Clackamas: 235 Clatsop: 17 Columbia: 15 Coos: 28 Crook: 1 Curry: 4 Deschutes: 81 Douglas: 24 Grant: 1 Harney: 1 Hood River: 11 Jackson: 49 Jefferson: 18 Josephine: 24 Klamath: 39 Lane: 57 Lincoln: 6 Linn: 99 Malheur: 13 Marion: 592 Morrow: 10 Multnomah: 793 Polk: 75 Sherman: 1 Tillamook: 6 Umatilla: 77 Union: 4 Wallowa: 1 Wasco: 14 Washington: 537 Yamhill: 42 Testing in Oregon: Positive: 2,887 Negative: 65,060 Total (since 1/24): 67,947  \n\t\nICYMI from Walden:\nGreg Walden Calls on Governor Brown, Legislative Leaders to Help Local Governments with COVID-related Expense\nGreg Walden: 'This is good news for rural Oregon'\nGreg Walden Statement on President Trump Signing Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://walden.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/greg-walden-shares-what-you-need-know-covid-19-may-7"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9521758183836937, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}