U.S. growth for the month of April fell far below what experts had predicted. Congress needs to focus on getting people off the sidelines and back to work.
Read more on April's jobs report, here.
Pelosi Tries to Push Through Government Price Control Scheme
When it comes to drug pricing there is room for bipartisanship. But House Democrats are refusing to work with us. By passing Speaker Pelosi's government price control scheme, we will be limiting innovation and jeopardizing medical advancement.
Watch here as Rep. McKinley questioned witnesses on H.R. 3.
Working to Combat the Opioid Epidemic
This week, Reps. McKinley, Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-07), and David Trone (D-MD-06) led a bipartisan effort calling on the U.S. Treasury Department to allow states to use American Rescue Plan funding to combat increases in drug overdose deaths witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, drug overdose deaths reached record levels in communities across the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drug overdose deaths in the United States are projected to have increased by 30 percent from 2019 to 2020 — and these cases rose dramatically as COVID-19 began spreading throughout American communities in the spring of 2020.
In response to this crisis, the bipartisan group of House Members pressed Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to ensure that upcoming guidance will give states the flexibility they need to use American Rescue Plan funding to invest in prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts related to the growing substance abuse epidemic. In their letter, they also urged the Treasury Department to recognize the clear, direct link between the sharp spike in drug overdose deaths and the healthcare, economic, and psychological effects of the pandemic.
“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) estimates there were more than 90,000 overdose deaths in the 12-month period ending in September 2020,” said Spanberger, McKinley, Trone, and their colleagues. “This would be a record high and represent a nearly 30% increase over the previous 12-month period’s death toll. Most of these deaths were caused by synthetic opioids like fentanyl. The NVSS projects that nearly every state in the country will suffer an increase in overdose deaths. In Virginia alone, overdose deaths are projected to have increased by more than 40% during the most recent 12-month period.”
Their letter continued, “Last year’s unprecedented escalation of the opioid crisis is almost certainly linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Treasury should make clear in its upcoming guidance to state and local governments that fighting the addiction crisis is an acceptable use of awards from the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Fund as was intended by Congress when it passed the American Rescue Plan. Treasury should allow states, tribes, and territories to use American Rescue Plan awards to provide supplemental funding to their mental and behavioral health authorities, and work with localities to identify creative ways to support their own responses to the overdose crisis.”
The U.S. Treasury Department is tasked with providing additional guidance to state governments about acceptable uses of American Rescue Plan funds — consistent with congressional intent.
The bipartisan letter was also signed by U.S. Representatives Susan Wild (D-PA-07), Alex X. Mooney (R-WV-02), Madeleine Dean (D-PA-04), and David N. Cicilline (D-RI-01).
Click here to read the letter, and the full letter text is below.
House VA Committee Passes out McKinley Bill
This week the House Veteran Affairs committee passed out several bipartisan bills including the Veterans Camera Reporting (VCR) Act, that Rep. McKinley introduced back in March. This important piece of legislation will allow for greater transparency & oversight, providing an additional safety measure for veterans, VA staff & visitors. We must ensure that what happened at the Clarksburg VA Medical Center never happens again.
To read more on the VCR Act, click here.
To read more on all the bipartisan legislation that passed out of the VA committee, click here.
Teacher Appreciation Week
It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, and McKinley wanted to take a moment to thank all our WV01 teachers. Make sure to thank a teacher for their dedication and service to our communities.
McKinley in the News:
WV Congressional Delegation calls on Biden to issue federal disaster declaration- WOWK
Funds for Wheeling Health Right Among McKinley Earmark Requests- Wheeling Intelligencer and Parkersburg News and Sentinel
Exclusive: Lawmakers seek COVID-19 money for opioid treatment- Axios
and Reuters
Sign up for COVID Vaccine
To date, 543,654 people in West Virginia are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and 694,200 people have received at least one vaccine dose.
The free vaccination clinics will be held across the states and are offered to West Virginians who are 16 years of age and older. More information can be found here.
West Virginians can now pre-register for a COVID-19 vaccine through the West Virginia COVID-19 Vaccine Registration System at www.vaccinate.wv.gov.
Free COVID-19 Testing
The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources offers free COVID-19 testing in counties located near you.
For more information on testing locations, click here.
West Virginia Strong - The Comeback Plan
In March, Governor Jim Justice announced loosened restrictions on businesses, social gatherings, and youth travel sports. The executive order:
- Increases the capacity limit for all restaurants and bars to 100% of their seating capacity
- Lifts all capacity limitations for small businesses, retail stores, and grocery stores
- Increasing the capacity limit for other businesses that still had capacity restrictions, such as gyms, fitness centers, and museums to 100%
- Increases the social gathering limit to 100 people
All businesses, social gatherings and youth travel sports are still required to follow public health safety guidelines, including, but not limited to, mandatory face coverings and social distancing.
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources
Toll-Free Hotline 24/7
1- 800 - 887- 4304
More information on the indoor face covering requirement, click here.
More Information, click here.
Click here for the COVID19 West Virginia website.
CDC Recommendations
We encourage everyone to follow the CDC recommendations on how to help protect yourself and others.
Follow the three W's to protect yourself and your loved ones: Wear a mask, Wash your hands, and Watch your distance
For more updated information from the CDC click here.
