Ernst reminds fellow Iowans: Let’s stick together, stay strong during COVID-19

RED OAK, Iowa—U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) is continuing to encourage Iowans to stick together and stay strong during these challenging times—and to spread goodwill and celebrate fellow Iowans. Through a portal on her website, Ernst has heard from folks across the state with inspiring stories of Iowans who are stepping up and helping out their friends, families, and neighbors during these difficult times—“Iowans helping Iowans.”

In a post on her Twitter and Facebook pages today, Ernst shared a story submitted by a constituent in Calmar who requested the help of the local fire department to celebrate her daughter’s birthday while social distancing. The Calmar Fire Department showed up outside their house with three fire trucks and sang happy birthday to the constituent’s daughter!

Click here or on the image above to watch a video of Senator Ernst sharing a story of Iowans helping Iowans.

“Throughout COVID-19, I’ve continued to listen to folks from every corner and county of our state as we work to provide them relief. These are challenging times, but even in these darker days, we’ve seen the resilient spirit of Iowans shine through. It’s important we continue to spread goodwill, and that’s why I’ve asked folks to share their stories of Iowans helping Iowans. Today’s story is a great reminder that – together – we will get through this pandemic,” said Senator Ernst.

To share a story of your own, visit Senator Ernst’s website HERE.

Background on Ernst’s efforts to combat COVID-19:

Senator Ernst has fought to deliver relief to all Iowans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some of her efforts:

• Urged her colleagues to stop playing politics and provide additional support for workers and employers.
• Called for bolstering the small business emergency loan program, the Paycheck Protection Program.
• Delivered major wins for Iowa’s workers, employers, health care industry, and more in the bipartisan Phase 3 package.
• Supported  the “Phase 1” bipartisan package to provide additional resources to federal, state and local authorities.
• Helped pass the “Phase 2” bill to provide paid sick leave, free COVID-19 diagnostic testing, and increased support for nutrition for seniors and children.
• Urged the Senate to prioritize relief for hospitals, community health centers, and workers on the front lines.
• Sought additional relief for Iowa’s public hospitals, including rural, county hospitals.
• Announced a proposal to immediately redirect the over $350M in the Presidential Campaign Election Fund to be used to purchase specialized face masks and personal protective equipment.
• Called for additional relief for survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence during COVID-19.
• Pushed the IRS to ensure survivors of domestic violence get their direct payments regardless of their place of residence.
• Asked the State Department to immediately act to get Iowans stranded abroad back home.
• Sought tariff relief for Iowa’s businesses by calling on Treasury to defer all tariffs during the pandemic.
• Pressed SBA to clarify questions from Iowa farmers about access to small business relief during COVID-19.
• Urged USDA to provide additional funding for Iowa’s biofuels industry negatively impacted by COVID-19 as well as the state’s livestock industry.
• Took questions from Iowans in Dubuque and Siouxland areas on COVID-19 relief.
• Answered questions from Iowans in Quad Cities area on COVID-19 relief.
• Continued to listen to and answer questions from small businesses across the state.
• Called on two federal health agencies to protect Iowa’s Medicare beneficiaries from high-risk settings and ensure safe access to care as we continue to work to combat COVID-19.
• Held a telephone town hall with thousands of Iowans to help answer some questions and hear directly from folks.
• Hosted another telephone town hall with Iowa’s seniors and elderly community.
• Heard from hundreds of Iowa’s small businesses on her telephone town hall.
• Held a fourth telephone town hall with Iowans, specifically seniors across the state.
• Participated in discussions at the State Emergency Operations Center with Governor Kim Reynolds.
• Joined Governor Reynolds at her press conference to give an update on federal relief efforts.
• Discussed the need to work together – at federal, state, and local level – to tackle COVID-19.
• Published a column on everyone doing their part to protect seniors and fellow Iowans from COVID-19.
• Penned a column outlining the federal relief packages Congress passed and reminding Iowans we will get through this, together.  
• Wrote a column discussing the relief efforts specifically for seniors and her work to protect Iowa’s elderly population from scammers during COVID-19.
• Called for an ‘all hands on deck’ approach to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

For additional information for Iowans on COVID-19, you can visit Senator Ernst’s website, which includes resources for families and individuals, small businesses, and seniors.

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