Honolulu, HI —On Wednesday, April 15 at 4:00 p.m. HT, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) will host her next COVID-19 tele-town hall update. In addition to covering the latest developments, including how Congressional emergency funds are supporting Hawai‘i, she will be joined by military commanders to address challenges faced by military families.

She will be joined on the call by Colonel Thomas J. Barrett, commander, U.S. Army Garrison Hawai‘i, Colonel Raul Lianez, Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Base Hawai‘i, and Captain Jeff Bernard, Commander, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The base commanders will provide updates about how servicemembers and their families are being protected as well as how the Defense Department is working with Hawai‘i State leaders to respond to the pandemic and support the needs of the broader community.

“While military families who call Hawai‘i home are experiencing many of the same challenges we all face during this pandemic, there are different ways in which servicemembers and their loved ones are particularly impacted,” said Rep. Tulsi Gabbard . “Those who wear the uniform, and their loved ones sacrifice every day in service to our nation. We are grateful for their service and look forward to providing this forum to them and to people across our state to answer questions and receive updates.”

Telephone Town Hall | COVID-19 Update # 5

Wednesday, April 15 at 4:00 p.m. Hawai‘i Time

You can sign up on Rep. Gabbard's website to receive a phone call to join the event.

Or, you can listen online at gabbard.house.gov/live .

Background: Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has hosted four tele-town hall events, on March 18 , March 25 , April 1 , and April 8 to update Hawai‘i residents with news about what is being done to confront the pandemic and assist those who are being affected by it. She was joined on these calls by state and federal public officials as well as community leaders to answer questions from across the state.

She created a COVID-19 resource webpage on her website as well as sends out regular e-newsletter updates to keep connected with constituents as developments happen.

Protecting and Providing for Americans During the Crisis

In early March, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard introduced H.Res.897 , a resolution that would provide an emergency non-taxable Universal Basic Payment of $1,000 per month to all adult Americans until COVID-19 no longer presents a public health emergency. She was the earliest Member of Congress to introduce legislation for a Universal Basic Income-like payment as a temporary economic stimulus package to directly and immediately help Americans as they weather this crisis.

Rep. Gabbard has continued to work to make sure that much-needed medical supplies, testing, and personal protective equipment (PPE) are readily available and recently sent a letter requesting that the Trump Administration prioritize working with our trading partners to ensure medical providers can obtain needed equipment quickly. She also sent a letter to the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services calling for the Departments to ensure access to PPE for essential childcare providers.

In March, working with Hawai‘i’s Congressional Delegation, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard sent two letters calling on President Trump to support Hawai‘i’s request for medical equipment, supplies and resources for the state.

Securing Emergency Funding

To date, Congress has passed 3 emergency funding bills:

H.R.6074 , the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020 (on March 4)

H.R.6201 , the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (on March 14)

H.R.748 , the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (on March 27)

The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act provided urgently needed, immediate funds to help with the initial impact of the virus on America. She voted to pass this bill which included funds for 14 community health centers in Hawai‘i which received more than $750,000 combined in support.

Next, she voted to pass the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to provide free testing for COVID-19, two weeks of paid sick leave, up to three months paid family and medical leave, unemployment insurance for furloughed workers, food security for those who rely on food stamps, student meals, senior nutrition plans, and food banks, and increase federal Medicaid funds for local, state, tribal and territorial governments and health systems.

The CARES Act includes direct cash payments to Americans, assistance for those who are out of work due to the outbreak, funding for small businesses, hospitals, and health care workers, and state and local governments. The bill’s funding for state and local governments includes at least $1.2 billion for Hawai‘i. Though the bill included Rep. Gabbard’s idea for a direct benefit payment to support Americans reeling from the pandemic’s impact, it fell short of the full scope suggested in her legislation, H.Res.897, and she urged Congress to do more .

In the weeks following the passage of the CARES Act, Hawai‘i received over $142 million in emergency funds to help support healthcare providers . This included more than $10 million in additional funds to the 14 community health centers which received funds after the first emergency bill as well as $132 million to other healthcare providers across the State to help cover the costs they are incurring due to the crisis. However, this $132 million came with the stipulation that these healthcare providers may not engage in “surprise billing” of patients they have treated for COVID-19.

Also, Hawai‘i received over $107 million in funds through the CARES Act to support public transportation systems, community public health infrastructure, and housing for vulnerable communities by way of Federal Transit Authority grants, Community Block Development Grants (CDBGs), and the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS program.

Calls for Preventative Measures

In early April, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard called for the resignation of Hawai‘i Department of Health officials Bruce Anderson and Dr. Sarah Park because of their repeated failures that put the health, lives and well-being of the people of Hawai‘i at risk. She added that should they refuse to step down, Governor Ige should fire them.

On March 21, Rep. Gabbard called for an immediate implementation of a 14-day self-quarantine for all passengers arriving in Hawaiʻi , both visitors and returning residents. The state later announced that a self-quarantine requirement would be implemented on March 26, but Rep. Tulsi Gabbard continued to advocate for an immediate implementation. She also sent a letter calling on the President to issue a minimum two-week, nationwide shelter-in-place order — a proven, effective solution to slowing the spread of the virus.

As the virus was first spreading in different parts of the world, Rep. Gabbard called on the Trump Administration to suspend flights from South Korea and Japan given the prevalence of COVID-19 infections in these countries, until they could guarantee all passengers would be tested prior to boarding flights to the United States.

Rep. Gabbard also wrote to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar calling for clear guidelines for state and local governments to receive federal reimbursement for the costs they are incurring as part of their response to this public health crisis.

About Rep. Tulsi Gabbard: Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is serving her fourth term in the United States House representing Hawai‘i’s Second District, and serves on the House Armed Services and Financial Services Committees. She previously served on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Homeland Security Committee. She was elected to the Honolulu City Council in 2010, and prior to that at age 21, was elected to the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 2002, becoming the youngest person ever elected in the state. Tulsi Gabbard has served in the Hawaiʻi Army National Guard for 16 years, is a veteran of two Middle East deployments, and continues to serve as a Major. Learn more about Rep. Tulsi Gabbard...

Follow Rep. Tulsi Gabbard on social media: