Stefanik on new task force to reopen Northeast region

Rep. Elise Stefanik (Official congressional photo)
SCHUYLERVILLE — North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik will serve on the Bipartisan Northeast Congressional COVID-19 Regional Recovery Task Force, which includes a group of House of Representatives members from the Northeast, where COVID-19 has hit the hardest.
“Examining how to protect public health and reopen our economy on a regional basis instead of using a one-size-fits-all approach is critical to the success of our region’s recovery,” said Stefanik, R-Schuylerville.
“Small businesses and agriculture businesses are the backbone of our North Country economy, and I will bring a unique perspective to this bipartisan task force as the representative of a rural district. I will use input from my conversations with constituents, business owners, farmers and public health officials in my district as a guide for recommendations to protect public health reopen our economy and get Americans back to work.”
Also on the task force are Reps. Mikie Sherrill (co-chair, D-N.J.), Pete King (co-chair, R-N.Y.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Jim Himes (D-Conn.), Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), Dan Meuser (R-Pa.) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.).
The group intends to meet virtually each week to discuss the following topics, according to Stefanik’s office:
¯ When and how Americans can get back to work safely
¯ Replenishing stockpiles of personal protective equipment
¯ Coordinating future stockpiling of ventilators, gowns, etc., among federal, state and local governments and hospitals
¯ Increasing access to reliable virus and antibody tests
¯ Developing a plan for efficient contact tracing
¯ Containing the pandemic and preventing future waves of outbreak
¯ Addressing societal fears around returning to public spaces
¯ Voting safely
¯ Ensuring that production of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies is returned to the United States from China.
Earlier this month, Stefanik was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve on a national, bipartisan Task Force to Reopen the Economy, which consists of 65 senators and 32 House members.