Michigan Gov. Whitmer signs at least $2 billion in COVID-19 relief spending
LANSING, Mich. โ Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed at least $2 billion in COVID-19 relief spending. READ: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs $2.5 billion in COVID-19 relief fundingThe veto was the latest in a dispute between the GOP-led Legislature and the Democratic governor over her response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whitmer vetoed legislation that would have ceded the state health departmentโs power to close schools and prohibit sports to local health departments.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signs $2.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding
Gretchen Whitmer has signed off on at least $2.5 billion in COVID-19 relief funding. Whitmerโs administration wants to get the remaining $2 billion in federal funding appropriated. Whitmer also proposed fully allocating $2.7 billion to help residents feed their families. โRather than these political games, we need to focus instead on how to best help businesses and individuals most impacted by the pandemic. The state has seen its COVID-19 numbers plateau over the past week after they declined steadily throughout the winter.
Michigan Legislatures set to pass $4.2B COVID relief bill
LANSING, Mich. โ Michigan has billions of dollars in federal COVID relief to spend. The GOP Legislature has made a series of bills spending it, but a large piece of that $4.2 billion comes with strings attached. READ: Michigan Legislature nears passing $4.2B in virus aid without deal$2 billion goes to education, which means an additional $450 per student, as well as millions more for summer school and student health. About $840 million is tied to moving the power from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services to local health departments when making decisions when it comes to in-person education and high school sports. Another $2.3 billion would give millions in aid to businesses, renters, hazard pay for care workers and more, but it ties $347 million for COVID testing to limiting the amount of time the health department restrictions can stay in place to 28 days.
House Democrats vow to pass minimum wage hike
The version sent to the Senate wonโt include a plan to raise the minimum wage. โWhen it comes to the minimum wage, I am going to be one of the loudest screamers about it,โ Dingell said Feb. 7. โThere will be a lot of discussions about minimum wage and you may see it being moved as a separate bill,โ Dingell said. The last time the federal minimum wage was raised was July 24, 2009. It is currently the longest period the U.S. has gone without raising the federal minimum wage since it was instituted in 1938.
Michigan Democrats call for federal COVID relief funds to be released immediately
LANSING, Mich. โ Michigan Democrats are pressuring state Republicans to vote to release more than $5 billion in COVID relief, chastising them for holding the funds. โRepublicans need to stop holding these federal stimulus dollars hostage. This is not a partisan issue, these dollars should be at work here in Michigan right now,โ said Michigan House Minority Leader Donna Lasinski. READ: Michigan Republicans unveil $2B COVID relief plan for residents struggling due to shutdownsRepublicans have held funding, hoping to get Gov. In a statement, a spokesperson for Michigan House Speaker Jason Wentworth said, โOur plan addresses all needs...
Michigan announces $52 million in relief for 6,000 small businesses hurt by COVID-19
(Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)LANSING, Mich. โ The state of Michigan announced Wednesday that $52.5 million will be given to nearly 6,000 small businesses across the state that have been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic. The money will come from the Michigan Small Business Survival Grant program, Gov. โThe Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program provides crucial support to Michiganโs small businesses hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic,โ Whitmer said. โThese grants, combined with additional business relief efforts offered by the MEDC, will create a strong foundation for Michiganโs long-term economic recovery.โThe Michigan Small Business Survival Grant Program allocated $55 million to provide support to Michigan small businesses hurt most by COVID-19 safety orders. Was not a live music and entertainment venue eligible for the Michigan Stage Survival grant program.
Detroit Mayor Duggan speaks on White House meeting
DETROIT โ Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan returned to Michigan Friday evening after a meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. โIโve been to the White House several times, but this was the first time Iโve ever had a meeting in the Oval Office and that was very special,โ Duggan said. The meeting with Biden and Harris also included a bipartisan group of mayors and governors. READ: Detroit Mayor Duggan meets with Biden administration to discuss COVID reliefREAD: 2 cases of COVID-19 B117 variant confirmed in Detroit, mayor saysAdโAll of us have people who are out of work, who are afraid that they are going to be evicted when the courts open up, who need housing assistance. Heโs very proud in the role he had in helping Detroit come out of bankruptcy when he was vice president and heโs still very much committed to our city,โ Duggan said.
Detroit Mayor Duggan meets with Biden administration to discuss COVID relief
DETROIT โ Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined leaders across to country Friday morning to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. It was a part of a group to discuss the American Rescue Plan, a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus plan, and what is needed to help get the economy roaring again. The American Rescue Plan includes $20 billion for vaccinations and $50 billion dedicated for testing and reopening schools. โTheyโre worried as the landlord tenant courts open up they may be facing eviction and have no place else to go,โ Duggan said. The hope in Washington is to have the bill passed and the money rolling by March.
Live Stream: Mike Duggan joins governors, mayors at White House over stimulus plan
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan joined leaders across to country Friday morning to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House. It was a part of a group to discuss the American Rescue Plan, a nearly $2 trillion economic stimulus plan. The hope is that Congress can get something finished in March, but there is a lot to do. AdIn addition to expediting vaccine supply, Biden said he aims to help states with unemployment benefits and reopening schools. The White House will be holding a press conference to cover the meeting at 1:30 p.m.
COVID relief funds battle: Why Republicans wonโt budge on Michigan Gov. Whitmerโs $5.5B request
LANSING, Mich. โ Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is asking state Legislature for $5.5 billion to battle COVID. In a statement, the office said โThere is $40 million in the pipeline for release to local public health departments. Local health departments may need to take some actions to accept the funding, but money should be very close to being released.โAdHowever, Frederick said that that is not enough. Whitmer proposes $67 billion state budget that prioritizes pandemic recoveryREAD: Michigan Gov.
Insurance marketplace reopens for those who lost health care during COVID pandemic
DETROIT โ Fulfilling a campaign promise, President Joe Biden plans to reopen the HealthCare.gov insurance markets for a special sign-up opportunity geared to people needing coverage in the coronavirus pandemic. Read: Biden to reopen โObamacareโ markets for COVID-19 reliefYet there are many questions and also concerns about what coverage will be available and at what cost to the user and taxpayers. The Dearborn-based social services organization works to help people navigate the health care changes coming. This will allow those who have lost their insurance due to the pandemic to sign up for coverage. โFor President Biden, this is personal,โ reads a statement from a White House spokesperson.
President-elect Biden announces $1.9 trillion COVID economic plan
FILE - In this Friday, Jan. 8, 2021 file photo, President-elect Joe Biden speaks during an event at The Queen theater in Wilmington, Del., to announce key administration posts. U.S. President-elect Joe Biden should bring fundamental change to U.S. policy on human rights and allow criminal investigations of President Donald Trump, the head of Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday Jan. 13, 2021. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)President-elect Joe Biden announced a $1.9 trillion economic plan to help stem the virus and provide financial assistance to individuals, businesses and state and local governments during a live event Thursday. Learn more about the economic plan here. Once inaugurated on Jan. 20, Biden has promised to support a new economic plan that would deliver larger stimulus checks and financial relief to individuals and businesses struggling amid the pandemicโs economic fallout.
Schumer says $2,000 checks a priority for new Senate
(AP Photo/Susan Walsh)Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said getting $2,000 relief checks for Americans will be a priority for the new Senate in 2021. โOne of the first things that I want to do when our new Senators are seated is deliver $2,000 checks to the American families,โ he said Wednesday. โSenate Democrats know Americans are hurting. And we have two new Senators coming to help.โNEW: Senate Minority Leader Schumer:"One of the first things that I want to do ... is deliver the $2,000 checks to the American families." Trump had pressured lawmakers to approve $2,000 checks.
Why start of extra $300 weekly unemployment benefits will be delayed in Michigan
The additional $300 weekly unemployment payments for residents who qualify for COVID-19 relief will be delayed in Michigan, officials said. Congress passed a COVID-19 relief package that extends the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation federal unemployment programs. โThis federal extension will bring much needed relief to nearly 700,000 Michigan workers who are currently receiving benefits under the PUA and PEUC programs,โ said Liza Estlund Olson, acting director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency. โWe will have to make updates to our systems to extend benefits and renew the FPUC $300 supplemental payments,โ the release says. Year-end tax statements for anyone who received unemployment benefits in 2020 will be available online in mid-January.
Second COVID relief package: Hereโs whatโs inside
Vaccines, testing, health providers ($69 billion)Delivers more than $30 billion for procurement of vaccines and treatments, distribution funds for states, and a strategic stockpile. Adds $22 billion for testing, tracing and mitigation, $9 billion for health care providers, and $4.5 billion for mental health. Postal Service ($10 billion)Forgives a $10 billion loan to the Postal Service provided in earlier relief legislation. The measure also provides President Donald Trump with a last, $1.4 billion installment for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border. Business meals would be 100% deductible through 2022 and out-of-pocket health care costs would be deductible after they reach 7.5% of income.
โWe simply cannot afford to waitโ -- Michigan governor proposes $100 million COVID relief plan
Gretchen Whitmer wants state legislators to approve a $100 million COVID-19 relief plan when they return to session during December. Coronavirus in MichiganThe number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Michigan has risen to 341,941 as of Friday, including 8,933 deaths, state officials report. Officials said 108 of the deaths reported Friday were identified during a Vital Records review and did not actually occur on Friday. READ: 97 takeaways from epidemiologistโs deep-dive into Michigan COVID-19 spread, deaths, future outlookNew COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise in Michigan. VIEW TREND: Tracking Michigan COVID-19 hospitalization data trendsMichiganโs 7-day moving average for daily cases was 6,925 on Tuesday, near the highest it has ever been.
Michigan GOP lawmakers: Meeting with President Trump was on stateโs โfight against COVID-19โฒ
The leaders of Michiganโs House and Senate met with President Donald Trump Friday. We have since sent the same correspondence to congressional leaders.โThey made sure to ask for further federal dollars to deal with the impact of COVID-19. Currently, itโs hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money that is back filling the state budget. Both leaders also addressed the vote certification process. Several legal experts and local leaders say the stateโs certification of votes is simply the next step in the process and should carry on normally, despite drama over the certification process in Wayne County this week.