Congress may pass another coronavirus relief bill before the end of the year, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said Thursday at the American Seniors Housing Association’s Chairman’s Circle virtual event.
Too many expiring protections at year’s end would create much harm, requiring some level of relief, including additional monies from the Provider Relief Fund, Warner said, according to an account from ASHA.
Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), who along with Warner and MSNBC political analyst and former Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele spoke at the event, told ASHA members that he would not support a COVID-19 relief bill unless it includes liability protections for businesses.
Last week, ASHA asked members to send letters to their members of Congress urging them to advance another stimulus package during the lame-duck legislative session. To date, according to ASHA, members have contacted 131 offices on Capitol Hill.
Also at the online meeting, Lankford received ASHA’s 2020 Congressional Hero Award.
“I’m not sure our licensed assisted living providers would have had access to the much-needed Provider Relief Funds but for the early leadership and support of Sen. Lankford,” ASHA President David Schless said. Lankford, he said, “motivated his Senate colleagues to support his efforts in a bipartisan letter to HHS Secretary Azar, calling attention to the extraordinary work by the senior living industry in caring for nearly 2 million seniors and 1 million employees. This created the necessary momentum to advance our calls for financial relief.”
The senator also is a champion on issues that affect older adults and their families, Schless said.
Lankford, who said he was grateful for the award, said: “For many of us, this year has been the most challenging year of our lifetimes. Despite these challenges, senior living communities and their staffs have served on the frontlines to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and provide support for the individuals that call them home.”
