Shaheen gives Washington update to local businesses
U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., answered questions from the Greater Salem and Greater Derry Londonderry chambers of commerce Tuesday, telling local businesses that she's been hearing their concerns about the coronavirus pandemic and economic fallout.
As Shaheen heads back to Washington next week, she said her top priority is addressing the pandemic because that's how the economy can get back on course.
"The most important thing I think we can do to get our economy up and running again is to address the coronavirus, to get the money for testing, get those rapid tests done, get the contact tracing done and continue to make sure that we get on top of the pandemic,’’ she said. "That’s when people are going to feel comfortable going into a restaurant at 100%. That’s when people are going to feel comfortable with going to a movie theater and going into stores and when we are going to be happy to have our kids back in school."
Shaheen emphasized that bipartisan agreement was the foundation of important programs like the expanded unemployment benefits and business help.
"The fact is we were so successful in the early days of COVID because we were successful in a bipartisan way," Shaheen said. "People recognized mutual goals and people compromised to get something beneficial to the majority of people and that’s what we need to do again."
Shaheen laid out how legislation was progressing prior to the August Senate recess and before a new coronavirus funding bill came to a standstill. Shaheen is part of the group working on the Payment Protection Program, and she said there is hope that more of that money will be available to small businesses.
"I’m hopeful we can get another round (of PPP funding) whether there’s another shutdown or not," Shaheen said, explaining that she’s heard from many businesses that the money has helped them survive financially.
One of the most important, yet controversial aspects to the next round of funding legislation is money for states and communities, Shaheen said. The states and communities need money to continue supplying the services they do despite potential tax shortfalls, she said.
She said states and municipalities are also on the front lines of testing and contact tracing, which are key to getting the economy back on track.
Adequate testing and tracing are necessary to make people comfortable with participating in the economy again, Shaheen said.
Shaheen was also asked about the expanded unemployment benefits, the added $600 - $15 per hour for a 40-hour work week. She said she has heard from businesses on both sides of the equation - some who are having a hard time hiring people because unemployment pays better and those who say the expanded benefits saved their employees.
Shaheen said she wants to continue to help people who need the help while unemployment across the country remains high — 10.2% unemployment in the country and 8.2% unemployment in New Hampshire, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Shaheen said she hopes the states’ unemployment systems work in getting people off unemployment when they can go back to their jobs, she said.
When heading back to the negotiating table in Washington, Shaheen said the questions she hopes are addressed include: How do we provide long-term to help people? How do we help businesses get back on their feet? How do we help those people who may have lost their jobs, not just in the short term, but what can we put in place for them in the longer term to get the economy moving again?
