Senator Dan Sullivan spoke with KSRM regarding financial relief that could be headed to Alaskans. Discussions have been on hold to pass a new economic relief package to confront the recession generated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The conversation is expected to continue on Capitol Hill.
Senator Sullivan told KSRM that fishermen will be seeing aid from the CARES Act, but that it currently sits with the state: “The CARES Act actually has a provision in it… It was a $300 million fund for our fishermen. Alaska’s gonna be getting a very significant chunk of that. Then, in the HEALS Act, that’s the bill that we’re debating right now in the Senate, that provision – with an additional funding of $500 million – that money is actually been slow to get out. $300 million from the CARES Act is with the state right now.”
Both Democrats and Republicans agree that a second stimulus package should be enacted, but they have yet to agree on a package. Democrats in the House have passed the Heroes Act, while the Republican-led Senate is debating an alternative called the HEALS Act which places financial focus on different areas than the CARES Act or the House’s Heroes Act. That includes reducing unemployment benefits and stripping protections for renters against evictions. It adds money to other areas, however, such as a return-to-work bonus for unemployed workers who find new jobs, liability shields for schools, businesses, and hospitals if they are sued for COVID-19-related issues, and a dedicated $16 billion for COVID-19 testing..
Senator Sullivan discussed the financial differences: “We’re putting together a more targeted approach with regard to HEALS. I was just on the phone today, talking about just over $500 million… The HEALS originally came in at right around a trillion… This is in comparison to the Heroes Act, which is the Pelosi $4 trillion bill.”
Both sides agree to a second stimulus check for those who qualify, similar to the $1,200 per-adult checks that went out earlier this year. Both sides have aso looked to the original COVID-related law from March, the CARES Act, to shape their new proposals.
