Senators Peters, Stabenow talk second COVID-19 relief bill in town hall

Senators Peters and Stabenow town hall discusses more relief, federal response to COVID-19

Both talked about the need for more equipment and more testing being rushed to the state, but they also discussed the second aid bill that is in the works. 

FOX 2 - More relief from the second COVID-19 stimulus package is in the works, according to senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow.

WJBK FOX 2 partnered with WDIV and WXYZ to present a town hall with Michigan Democrats Peters and Stabenow Thursday to ask about the federal response to the pandemic. Both talked about the need for more equipment and more testing being rushed to the state, but they also discussed the second aid bill that is in the works. 

One of the ways they want to deliver more help, is with the Heroes Fund. Under the "COVID-19 Heroes Fund", frontline workers would receive an increase in $25,000 for the rest of 2020, and a $15,000 essential recruitment incentive for employers to recruit and offer premium pay to fight the public health crisis.

Peters said the "Heroes Fund" would provide pandemic premium pay to reward, retain and recruit essential workers from health care workers to grocery store employees, home care workers, pharmacists, postal workers, and other essential employees.

"We have a proposal that if you are in one of those necessary jobs, we are looking at paying $13 more per hour capped at $25,000 starting to when this pandemic began," Peters said. "It is to thank those folks putting themselves in harm's way but for doing a critical job and to make them whole."

Earlier today President Donald Trump spoke about re-opening America in stages, keeping more restrictions in the hot spots of the coronavirus. Both Peters and Stabenow were asked about it and stressed moving slowly in that direction.

"We all want to get the economy going again, but we have to focus on the medical experts and the testing," Stabenow said. "Eventually a vaccine will give us the confidence to get back to our lives. Until then, we need more testing like what Mayor Duggan has done in Detroit with the Avid 15-minute test."

Peters added, "We have to be careful in getting back to normal. It is absolutely essential we do it with expert advice, to do it in a fashion that protects people. Having strict restrictions right now is so important so we can slow down the progress of COVID-19.

With Detroit among the hardest hit centers for COVID-19 nationally, both were asked about the African-American community suffering such a high death toll.

"We need to make sure we provide the health care in those communities," Peters said. "We need to make sure we invest in these communities that have been underserved for far too long. The Affordable Care Act helped that effort immensely. We need to continue to support it and strengthen that (because) we are in a health care crisis of unimaginable proportions."

Among the other topics the town hall covered, was more money and support for hospitals and health care systems which have begun layoffs and furloughs, as well as support for small business owners which make up the backbone of the economy.

Watch the full town hall below.