Macomb Today

Michigan families, workers and students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic may receive federal funding from a supplemental budget bill supported by Sen. Michael MacDonald (R-Macomb Township).

MacDonald, on June 17, said the bill would use $880 million available through CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act funding.

“As we begin to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we must continue to use available resources to support the people of Macomb and throughout our state who have been affected by this public health crisis,” MacDonald said, according to MiSenateGOP. 

Senate Bill 690 would provide $25 million for testing supplies and personal protective equipment for those in fields such as nursing and home health care, $100 million in hazard pay for local first responders, $125 million to reduce child care costs by 30%, and $117 million to temporarily increase direct care workers' pay by $2 per hour.

“Our frontline workers have risked their health and made huge sacrifices to save lives from COVID-19, and they deserve our thanks and support,” MacDonald told MiSenateGOP. “This bill will invest restricted federal CARES Act funding to buy personal protective equipment and give hazard pay increases for first responders and frontline workers who have gone above and beyond the call of duty.”

MacDonald said nursing home workers were put at risk when COVID-19-positive patients were placed into nursing facilities.

“As we put this federal funding to use to reduce the impact of the pandemic on our people and way of life, we can also address critical mistakes made by the governor,” MacDonald said, according to MiSenateGOP. “This will give them (nursing home workers) a pay increase and invest $1.4 million to perform infection control surveys, education and training."

The bill would also provide $100 million for business restart grants to help Michigan businesses to reopen safely, $29 million for temporary workers to handle unemployment claims, $200 million for local governments to cover public health and safety costs related to the coronavirus, $2.5 million in assistance to hospitality workers ineligible for full unemployment benefits, and $43 million to make learn-from-home devices and connectivity more affordable while covering COVID-19 costs for school districts.

“The governor unnecessarily hurt our economy and failed workers who lost their jobs,” MacDonald said to MiSenateGOP. “This bill will help small businesses reopen and ensure unemployed workers get the benefits they need to support their families.”