State Sen. Jill Schupp, D-St. Louis, is challenging U.S. Congresswoman Ann Wagner for her seat in the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the 2nd Missouri District.
Schupp, 65, of Creve Coeur, has represented the 24th District in the Missouri Senate since 2015.
She formerly served on the Ladue School Board from 2000 to 2006, and was a state representative from 2009 to 2014.
When asked why she was running for Congress, Schupp said, “For too long, the needs of this district have been brushed aside in favor of big corporations and special interests. … As health care costs continue to skyrocket, and families … are faced with tough choices, I knew I couldn’t sit on the sidelines with so much at stake in this election.”
Wagner, 58, of Ballwin, is the current representative of Missouri’s 2nd Congressional district. She was first elected to the seat in 2013.
“The 2nd District is my home. It is where I was born and raised, where I met my husband … where we raised our children, and where we live … Representing this community has been one of the greatest honors … and I would consider it a great privilege to advocate for my hometown in 2021,” Wagner said on why she was seeking re-election.
The candidates gave the following responses to the Call’s candidate questionnaire:
What is your stance on the Affordable Care Act and if it should be repealed, what would you replace it with? Please elaborate.
Schupp: “The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides protections for over 130 million Americans with preexisting conditions, secures key support for rural hospitals, expands Medicaid coverage, significantly cuts health care costs, and much, much more. In Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District, it is estimated that 320,500 people with preexisting conditions could lose coverage if the ACA is overturned. In the midst of one of the greatest public health crises of our lifetime, we should be doing all we can to ensure people can get the care they need, not working to gut protections and coverage.
“My opponent, meanwhile, has voted to repeal the ACA five times. This would jeopardize health care for hundreds of thousands of her constituents, and is clearly not in the best interest of Missouri families.”
Wagner: “My constituents were outraged by skyrocketing premiums and deductibles, soaring taxes and losing their preferred doctors, and I was thankful when the Supreme Court overturned the individual mandate. I am passionate about reducing premiums and making health insurance more affordable for everyone while protecting those with preexisting conditions. I introduced the bipartisan Health Care Protection Act which would give premium subsidies to those who lost their jobs during the pandemic to ensure no one pays more for their insurance or loses preexisting conditions coverage. I also introduced legislation to make sure preexisting conditions coverage remains even if the ACA is overturned. I voted for H.R. 19 to lower the costs of prescription drugs, and I passed into law an FDA fast track process to make cheaper generics available faster. I have cosponsored legislation to protect patients from unfair and expensive surprise medical bills. I have voted to expand lower cost plans and Health Savings Accounts so Missourians won’t be taxed on the money they use for health care, pharmacy expenses, and fitness costs and can save more in their accounts. I introduced the Telehealth Act to permanently expand telehealth options for everyone, make telehealth more affordable for those on high-deductible health plans, expand telehealth for veterans, and address restrictions that deter doctors from providing telehealth services, among other improvements. And I sponsored the Emergency Support for Nursing Homes and Elder Justice Reform Act, legislation supported by the AARP to make sure our most vulnerable residents get the assistance they need during the pandemic and beyond.”
What should be done about health care? Do you support Medicare for All? Should preexisting conditions be covered?
Schupp: “I do not support Medicare for All. I support a public option that would allow people who would like to stay on their private insurance the opportunity to do so, while still providing coverage to those who desperately need it. We cannot reverse the progress we’ve made when it comes to covering those with pre-existing conditions, such as cancer or diabetes. Congress must also work to lower the cost of prescription drugs, by allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Time and time again, the American people have stepped up to reject efforts to rip away health care from millions of people, and moving away from covering preexisting conditions would be no exception. Quality coverage provides people with the blessing of good health, and good health allows people to succeed and our communities to thrive.”
Wagner: “I am for reducing premiums and making health insurance more affordable. I absolutely support coverage for those with preexisting conditions, which is why I voted four times to protect preexisting conditions and introduced the Protecting Patients with Preexisting Conditions Act. This legislation would amend the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to guarantee coverage for people with preexisting conditions even if courts strike down the Affordable Care Act. No matter what happens with the legal battle around the ACA, your preexisting conditions coverage should remain the same. I am against Medicare for All and any government takeover of health care. Medicare for All would provide coverage for some but take away health insurance from over 90 percent of my constituents and impose new taxes on everyone, including the 77 percent of people in the 2nd District who receive private employer health insurance. It would cost $30 trillion and even former Vice President (Joe) Biden has called it ‘preposterous.’”
What should be done, if anything, to reform policing in the United States in the wake of this summer’s protests?
Schupp: “I have the utmost respect for law enforcement and the role they play in our communities. I do not support defunding the police and am grateful for the work of first responders everywhere. In the wake of this summer’s protests I strongly believe that we can bring parties together to create a fairer criminal justice system that keeps our community safe and is responsive to the needs of people, not politicians. We must build trust between law enforcement and the communities they are sworn to protect. This starts with demanding more accountability, ending practices that should not be employed, and ensuring we have resources and support in place to deal with mental health or substance abuse in our communities. This is an important moment and an important issue we need to address head on. We should not be inciting discord and division.”
Wagner: “I have engaged with the St. Louis regional community in conversations about accountability for the use of force, transparency and public safety. I believe Congress should act to ensure all people are treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement. That is why I voted in support of the JUSTICE Act, a wide-ranging reform package drafted by Republican Sen. Tim Scott that makes lynching a federal hate crime, takes action to stop the use of chokeholds, equips officers with body cameras, scales down no-knock warrants, and establishes reporting requirements to improve transparency and accountability for the use of force. I am proud that the St. Louis region has already adopted many policing reforms. We are blessed to have so many brave men and women serving as police officers, and I believe the JUSTICE Act will help them better accomplish their mission to be guardians of the people in the neighborhoods they serve. I am proud to have the endorsement of the St. Louis Police Officerss Association and the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police.”
How do you propose to solve the problems facing Social Security? Do you favor privatizing Social Security?
Schupp: “Social Security is our nation’s most important and effective income security program and I am strongly opposed to its privatization. I am also opposed to any attempts to cut this critical program. Social Security is a promise to our older Americans and it is one that I intend to fight to keep. Unlike my opponent, I would have voted no on the tax bill that threatened the very survival of Social Security and Medicare as we know it. My first priority is to make sure that Social Security is well funded and protected for current and future retirees.”
Wagner: “I do not support any changes to our current Social Security system for Americans who are at or near the age of retirement. Senior citizens are entitled to the earned benefits that they have paid into for decades and nothing can change that. Looking forward, we must work for solutions to strengthen the long-term solvency of Social Security for generations to come and expand retirement savings options so families are able to save more of their paychecks pre-tax.”
What is your position on abortion?
Schupp: “I trust women to make their own health care decisions, and to do what’s right for them and their families. That’s why I support the ability of all women to access safe, confidential and affordable reproductive health care.
“I will fight to keep the government from interfering with a woman’s right to determine when and if she would like to start or expand her family. I believe in a woman’s right to choose, guaranteed by Roe v. Wade, and will fight to protect access to reproductive health care –– including contraception and abortion.”
Wagner: “I am proud to be pro-life and will always support women and their unborn children. I believe that life is beautiful and children are a blessing, and I am committed to helping women have both their baby and their dreams. I want women and their babies to be safe, loved, and empowered, no matter their situation or socioeconomic status. At a time when radical lawmakers are attempting to roll back common-sense protections, I have defended critical, comprehensive services for women in need and the rights and dignity of their children. I have voted to codify the Hyde Amendment to make sure taxpayers do not fund abortions and redirect your tax dollars toward the nearly 600 federally qualified health and rural health clinics throughout our state.”
Are tougher gun control laws needed? If so, what do you propose? If not, why?
Schupp: “Gun violence has long been a deeply personal issue to me. In 1992, my brother was shot in a courtroom in downtown Clayton. Fortunately he survived, but not everyone did. This wasn’t the start of my commitment to ending gun violence, but it brought it home for me in new ways. I support background checks on all gun sales, closing the boyfriend loophole, and other common-sense gun safety measures. I’ve sponsored legislation that would prevent weapons from falling into dangerous hands. I believe in the Second Amendment, and I also believe it is incumbent on policymakers to address the public health crisis that is gun violence and that claims the lives of 35,000 Americans every year. If elected, I will also push for the federal government to invest in research to help us better understand and address gun violence.”
Wagner: “I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and I am a strong supporter of gun safety. I encourage Missourians to take the state-approved training course and get a concealed carry permit. I have worked in Congress to pass bills into law that will improve the safety of our communities and keep guns out of the hands of bad actors. I worked to pass the Fix NICS Act to improve the background check system, the STOP School Violence Act to protect our kids and provide grants to schools to improve school safety, and the 21st Century Cures Act to help those who are mentally ill. I also authored my own bipartisan bill, H.R. 5836, Prosecuting Gun Crimes Saves Lives Act, to deter illegal gun purchases and ensure law enforcement have the resources they need to enforce gun control laws.”
What can be done about climate change? Should we explore alternative energy sources?
Schupp: “If we don’t combat climate change and do it now, we are going to have irrevocable problems. This is something we can and must address, both within our nation and as part of a global community to have a safe and healthy planet for us, our kids, and for the generations to come. We need to leave this earth a little bit better than we found it. In Congress, I will work to ensure we have clean water and clean air, not just for today but for future generations. I will take action to reduce our carbon emissions and hold polluters accountable and I believe we should re-enter the Paris Climate Agreement. I support taking pragmatic steps here at home that will help transition to a clean energy economy and create the jobs of the future.”
Wagner: “Climate change is a serious issue, and I have worked to address it responsibly without raising costs on Missouri families. I support clean energy and technological innovation, while respecting the choices of producers and consumers and ensuring Missourians continue to enjoy some of the lowest electricity rates in the country. America is a global leader in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through innovation and technology, and I support legislation to promote clean energy sources like nuclear power, natural gas and hydropower; incentivize the development of carbon capture, use, and sequestration technologies; conserve and maintain our national parks; and reverse environmental degradation.”
What measures, if any, will you propose to encourage economic development in this area?
Schupp: “There has been no time in my lifetime where it has been more critical that we encourage economic growth and development by supporting small businesses and inspiring entrepreneurship to reimagine a new forward-thinking economy. I worked as a small-business employee for almost two decades, I am the spouse of a small-business owner, and I served in the state Legislature on the Economic Development Committee. Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy, and I believe we should invest in the incredible small businesses right here in South County. We must also encourage and incentivize businesses to put their roots down in St. Louis.”
Wagner: “I am committed to supporting small businesses and economic development, and my votes have earned me the National Retail Federation’s Hero of Main Street Award. I have fought for funding for the Navy’s Super Hornets and the construction of the National Geospatial Agency West Campus in North St. Louis which support thousands of 2nd District jobs, and I’ve welcomed companies like Nike and Leonardo DRS that open new factories and offices in our district to employ Missourians. I have also helped 2nd District companies apply for tariff exemptions to ensure trade policies don’t hurt Missouri workers.
“During the pandemic, I voted for the Paycheck Protection Program to provide relief to millions of small businesses, supporting over 51 million jobs and 80 percent of all small business employees. I introduced the Calculate PPP Forgiveness Act with the support of the St. Louis Regional Chamber, Heartland Saint Louis Black Chamber of Commerce, Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Missouri Restaurant Association, Missouri Retailers Association, and many other Missouri organizations to help employers focus on safely reopening their businesses. I helped constituent companies apply for loans, and I signed a discharge petition on the House Floor that would require Speaker (Nancy) Pelosi to bring forward bipartisan legislation to restart the PPP and forgive small-dollar loans that my constituents applied for in order to support Missouri jobs.”
Read on for web exclusive questions and answers.
What issue do you consider the single most important in this race and why?
Schupp: “There are many important issues that voters should consider when casting their vote, but this race ultimately comes down to health care. My opponent and I could not be more different when it comes to our views on quality, affordable health care and who should be able to access it. She’s voted five times to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which guarantees protections for 320,500 Missourians in the 2nd Congressional who have preexisting conditions. If elected, I would strengthen and expand the Affordable Care Act, as I firmly believe that everyone should have access to quality, affordable health care. Good health allows people to take care of their families, to participate in the economy, and to lead better lives.”
Wagner: “Rebuilding from this pandemic will be one of Congress’s biggest tasks in 2021, and I have been proud to support relief for my constituents and small businesses. I have voted to send economic stimulus checks to the American people, expand unemployment benefits, establish the Paycheck Protection Program to keep small businesses open, expand food aid and mental health and substance abuse services, provide relief to our schools and hospitals, stop evictions and provide housing assistance, provide $173.5 million in relief to St. Louis County, and fund the development of vaccines and treatments. I am proud that due to our relief efforts and the strength of the economy, we are experiencing the fastest economic recovery from any crisis, and the economy has already regained 50 percent of the jobs lost. I will continue to put Missouri’s families first at a time when so many are struggling, and I believe partisan politicking has no place in the conversation about how we pass relief legislation and rebuild from the pandemic.”
Other issues you perceive in your race:
Schupp: “People are eager to hear how their representatives will work to get our country back on track in its fight against our common enemy, COVID-19. As I (virtually) travel throughout the district to speak to constituents, the same issues come up again and again: better access to quality, affordable health care and the need for lower cost prescription drugs, safe schools, taking on the climate crisis, and building a strong economy that works for everyone. Corporations have plenty of special interest lobbyists in Washington; it’s time we elected someone to represent us who will fight for the needs of Missouri families.”
Wagner: “I believe access to affordable health care is a key priority in this race. I am committed to the health and safety of each and every constituent and family during this pandemic, and I support providing free coronavirus testing and treatment, providing health insurance premium assistance to those who have lost their jobs during the pandemic, ensuring everyone with a preexisting is covered. I have voted four times to protect those with preexisting conditions and sponsored a bill to put preexisting conditions into a patient’s fundamental rights (HIPAA).
“Protecting our community from violence is another key priority in this race. I have long advocated on behalf of the brave men and women who serve our communities as law enforcement officers and voted to send additional funding to Missouri to keep our community safe from violence. I am proud to have the endorsement of the St. Louis Police Officers Association and the local IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters). I was proud to vote for the JUSTICE Act to help our heroic law enforcement officers become even better guardians of the neighborhoods they serve.”
What is your position on the death penalty? Do you support the Justice Department’s decision this year to restart federal executions?
Schupp: “I do not support the death penalty.”
Wagner: “I do not believe that this is a federal issue. The state of Missouri should make this decision by applying the law fairly and justly in accordance with our U.S. Constitution and the laws of the state.”
What do you propose to solve funding problems facing public education? Do you support school vouchers?
Schupp: “I’ve worked as an elementary school teacher, served as vice president and co-president of the Parents Association, and served on the school board for two terms (including twice as president). Because of my background in education, I have always prioritized education in my work on behalf of my community. In Congress, I will work hard to improve our public education system and ensure that our schools, teachers, and students have the resources and support they need to thrive. Our education system is at a disadvantage because too often we undervalue our educators. With our educational institutions under attack, teachers are on the front lines and bear the initial brunt in the push for privatization. I understand these challenges. I do not support school vouchers or other schemes that take tax dollars away from public schools and give them to largely unaccountable private interests. Educators and allies of public education can trust that I will be a champion for them in Congress.”
Wagner: “Education is an issue that is best handled at the local level by parents, principals and teachers making the decisions to educate our children. It is important that we get our schools open safely so students can get back to the classroom. During the pandemic, I voted to provide $31 billion in emergency education funding to students, schools and states to purchase laptops and hotspots, clean schools, provide programming for those with disabilities, and give students food and housing support. I support targeted aid to help our schools reopen safely, as well as legislation like the Student Empowerment Act to allow parents to spend tax-free on any expenses related to home learning to help families navigate this school year.”
What do you propose to ease the tax burden on working families?
Schupp: “As a former business executive, I know what it takes to help grow our economy and move Missouri forward. I will work to lower taxes for middle class families, not give away massive tax breaks to big corporations. We deserve a representative who will take on corruption in Washington, not enable it. I will focus on building an economy that works for real people and I will work to support small businesses, which are too often left behind. I recognize that many of these issues facing our communities today are interrelated — our economy is strengthened by an environment where small businesses can thrive and a workforce where all have access to quality education and job training, where everyone has access to affordable health care, and where workers’ rights are maintained. Unlike my opponent, who has demonstrated time and again that she sides with the big corporations who fund her campaign, I want to go to Congress to take on corruption in Washington and build an economy that works for real people.”
Wagner: “I am passionate about helping Missouri’s families keep more of their paychecks so they can choose how to spend their own money. I was proud to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, pro-family tax reform that expands the Child Tax Credit, doubles the standard deduction, lowers individual rates, and preserves the adoption tax credit and retirement savings options I fought hard to keep. This reform resulted in higher wages and more jobs, and a family of four living in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional district is seeing an average tax cut of $3,000. Moreover, I believe child care costs are out of control, and I have voted for bills to support safe and affordable child care options and authored legislation to modernize Dependent and Child Care Flexible Savings Accounts to increase the maximum amount a family can contribute pre-tax to track with the actual costs of dependent care today.”
Are you concerned that efforts to increase homeland security could infringe on our constitutional rights?
Schupp: “Our constitutional rights are what make our nation strong. They’ve protected us for more than 200 years and I will never infringe on them for a false sense of security. Congress can and must use its oversight and legislative powers to ensure that our constitutional rights are not eroded, as we continue to protect our country and the American people from harm.”
Wagner: “Congress must act to protect the constitutional rights of Americans while defending against terrorism. This year I supported legislation which I believe ensures that our counter-terrorism programs are conducted within the framework of the Constitution and laws of the United States, and with proper congressional oversight.”
Will you hold town halls in St. Louis if elected and are you willing to debate your opponent?
Schupp: “I challenged my opponent to a debate in early September. I believe it is vital for voters to be able to see the candidates running to represent them side by side. As an elected official, it is crucial to be transparent and accountable to your constituents, not corporations and special interests. I view debates and public town halls as a crucial way to engage with constituents and absolutely plan to host a variety of public forums if elected, as I have done dozens of times as a state legislator. Unfortunately, my opponent declined our invitation to debate. Since she was elected eight years ago, she has not held a single in-person town hall or participated in a candidate debate.”
Wagner: “I have been proud to host regular town hall events throughout the district during my time in Congress, and I would continue to meet and hear from my constituents. That’s how I can best represent you in Washington. In addition to proactively reaching out and also connecting with each constituent who contacts my office, I host regular open office hour forums in neighborhoods across the district, where any constituent can walk in and share their thoughts or concerns or get the help they need to navigate issues dealing with federal agencies. I did 10 of these forums prior to the pandemic and several tele-townhalls.”
Wagner: “Absolutely. Constituents have the right to hear directly from candidates on how they would approach the tough issues. I have already participated in multiple forums this elections season.” (IDK if on the original questionnaire we went them if the town hall question and debate question were to separate questions or combined because either Wagner answered them as separate questions or Schupp just combined her answers into one)
Do you think the country is moving in the right direction under President Donald Trump?
Schupp: “It is clear that our country is not headed in the right direction under President Donald Trump. Our reputation on the international stage has been tarnished, tensions are at an all time high, and people are sick of the divisiveness and partisan bickering coming out of Washington. We are six months into a deadly pandemic without a plan in sight and people are frustrated, scared and looking to their elected leaders for guidance. Whomever wins the 2020 election must be committed to helping our nation recover from COVID-19. Public health should not be a partisan issue and the federal government must invest in more tracing, more testing, and more treatment options for the American people. We must work to rebuild our economy and safely get our children back in school and it is absolutely critical that whatever happens on Nov. 3, our president must show leadership on this issue.”
Wagner: “Over the past four years, I have been proud to work with the president to give Missouri’s families the biggest tax cut in history; support record economic growth; secure the border and provide funding to address the humanitarian crisis; pass historic criminal justice reform; renegotiate the (trade deal) USMCA; pass major anti-trafficking legislation; repeal top-down regulations that hurt your paychecks; employ more Americans than ever before and achieve record low unemployment rates for minorities, women and youth; reduce prescription drug costs; introduce more affordable health insurance options; defend Social Security and Medicare; expand our military and improve veterans’ health care; develop a COVID-19 vaccine and treatments at warp speed; build out the world’s most robust COVID-19 testing system and rebuild the National Strategic Stockpile; promote global women’s empowerment programs; defeat ISIS and sanction Russian and Syrian bad actors; and hold China and Iran accountable. I am confident that the president’s economic policies will help us rebound faster from the pandemic.”
Do you think that the federal government should be open and transparent with the people’s business?
Schupp: “Our government was created by the people, for the people. It is imperative that the federal government is open and transparent with the people’s business so that everyone back home knows that their issues are being addressed and where their tax dollars are being spent. It is the government’s obligation to share information with citizens that is needed to make informed decisions and hold officials accountable. Congresswoman Wagner hasn’t held a single in-person town hall since being elected to Congress. She even voted against additional transparency for the Paycheck Protection Program, so that taxpayers could see whether our federal relief dollars were in fact going to the small businesses that needed help the most. People in MO-02 deserve a representative who is responsive to their needs and shows up to hear from them. If elected, I am committed to holding town hall meetings and public forums to restore trust between the people of the 2nd District and their representative.”
Wagner: “Of course. Because of my commitment to transparency and bipartisanship, I was selected to sit on the House Ethics Investigative Subcommittee. My colleagues in Congress trust that I will remain impartial and seek the fair and unbiased truth. I am also committed to ensuring that every action the government takes is subject to a public comment process. In addition, I have fought against hidden rules and regulations, fighting to restore power back to the people and away from a powerful executive branch, the way our forefathers intended. Federal regulations cost the American people about $1.89 trillion every year, amounting to nearly a $15,000 per household hidden tax each year, and I was proud to help overturn 16 rules and regulations that stifled job creation and raised your energy bills. I also voted for the REINS Act to ensure that any new regulations that cost $100 million or more will require Congressional approval before they take effect.”
What should be done, if anything, to reform policing in the United States in the wake of this summer’s protests?
Schupp: “I have the utmost respect for law enforcement and the role they play in our communities. I do not support defunding the police and am grateful for the work of first responders everywhere. In the wake of this summer’s protests I strongly believe that we can bring parties together to create a fairer criminal justice system that keeps our community safe and is responsive to the needs of people, not politicians. We must build trust between law enforcement and the communities they are sworn to protect. This starts with demanding more accountability, ending practices that should not be employed, and ensuring we have resources and support in place to deal with mental health or substance abuse in our communities. This is an important moment and an important issue we need to address head on. We should not be inciting discord and division.”
Wagner: “I have engaged with the St. Louis regional community in conversations about accountability for the use of force, transparency and public safety. I believe Congress should act to ensure all people are treated with dignity and respect by law enforcement. That is why I voted in support of the JUSTICE Act, a wide-ranging reform package drafted by Republican Sen. Tim Scott that makes lynching a federal hate crime, takes action to stop the use of chokeholds, equips officers with body cameras, scales down no-knock warrants, and establishes reporting requirements to improve transparency and accountability for the use of force. I am proud that the St. Louis region has already adopted many policing reforms. We are blessed to have so many brave men and women serving as police officers, and I believe the JUSTICE Act will help them better accomplish their mission to be guardians of the people in the neighborhoods they serve. I am proud to have the endorsement of the St. Louis Police Officerss Association and the Missouri Fraternal Order of Police.”
What is your opinion of the federal government’s response to the coronavirus?
Schupp: “It did not have to be this way. 200,000-plus families have had their lives irrevocably changed, thousands of small-business owners have had their livelihoods destroyed, and people all across the country are struggling. The administration continues to downplay the threat of the virus and Congress continues to drag its feet on passing an additional relief bill –– all while everyday people suffer. This is simply unacceptable.
“Because of the failures of the federal government to enact measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19, the virus is still not under control. Our children must get back to school and we must jumpstart the economy, but none of this can happen unless we rely on scientists, doctors and public health experts moving forward. If elected, my immediate priority would be to get our country back on track in its fight against our common enemy. This starts with more and consistent testing, contact tracing, treatment, more resources for displaced workers and families, and allowing scientists and public health experts to guide us through defeating the virus.”
Wagner: “We have learned that we need more resources and public engagement to quickly implement testing, contact tracing and isolation protocols, while promoting social distancing and avoiding harmful shutdowns. I’m developing these lessons into best practices that will improve our public health readiness and keep Missouri’s families safe. I’ve introduced legislation to expand telehealth services, protect nursing home residents, promote televisitation so elderly patients can visit with their loved ones, create regional strike teams to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks, improve health security, address mental health, shore up U.S. supply of treatments, and improve the National Strategic Stockpile. Moreover, I voted this spring for the CARES Act, the biggest economic relief package in U.S. history, to help constituents receive unemployment benefits, economic impact payments, PPE (personal protective equipment), small business loans, school and hospital funding, free testing and treatment, and other assistance. I have fought for St. Louis County municipalities to receive the money they need to fund public safety efforts, medical care, housing and other essential services.”
