Hon. Congressman Anthony Gonzalez
2458 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Hon. Senator Rob Portman
448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Hon. Senator Sherrod Brown
503 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
December 31, 2020
Dear Congressman Gonzalez, Senator Portman, & Senator Brown:
In my decade of public service experience and my 35 years of life. I have never seen such wide spread suffering, poverty, and even more businesses failing in my community till the COVID-19 pandemic. As a community leader I am actively involved in various programs I have helped spearhead to aide those in need here in North Royalton. Also as husband to a wife who is a front line nurse at a local hospital saving COVID-19 patients lives and as a parent to an 8th grader who has been forced to attend school virtually. I understand the additional struggles this pandemic has caused families.
We are living in unprecedented times. I believe it is vital to families and my overall community if Congress does much more to provide COVID-19 relief. It is extremely frustrating that Congress has waited once again to the 11th hour to respond to this pandemic. We get the unfortunate politics of Washington during a Presidential Election year. However, I know of community members who had family members die, lost jobs, struggle to provide food for their families, parents quitting their jobs so they could make sure their child is able to attend school virtually, and businesses close forever all as a result of COVID-19. The longer Washington delays the more worse all of this will get before we can even begin to recover. There are three key issues you all need to focus on.
First, President Trump has asked Congress to amend the COVID-19 Relief Bill and increase the ridiculously low direct economic impact payments to Americans from $600 to $2,000 or $4,000 for a couple. The economic impact payments that Congress has recently approved and signed into law by the President, only put $600 in the hands of those earning less than $75,000 in 2019 (or under $150,000 if married and filing jointly) and their kids. We all know the Government can’t keep just printing money. While at the same time this second round of economic stimulus needs to much more significant to help begin the recovery process from COVID-19 as a country. The virus has done a lot of harm to Americans, but it has been the governments at the state and federal level that have caused significant economic harm with lock downs, closures, poor responsiveness, urgent resources, and more that due warrant the increase to the economic impact payments this time around.
Second, in addition to increasing the economic payments to Americans. I strongly urge you all to work together in the new upcoming session of Congress to seek out additional funding and resources to local governments throughout our country like North Royalton who will face further deceases in tax revenue due to the pandemic. All of which could hurt essential city services and more that residents are counting on even more than ever before.
Third, small businesses have taken a massive hit due to the pandemic. Including here in North Royalton. I urge you all to do more in grants, loans, and other relief efforts to help ensure we do not have further businesses close and more jobs lost. I believe restoring the deductibility of forgiven PPP loans to help small businesses would be a good first step to achieve this. When Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act back in March. It was my understanding that Congress intended that creating this program would help businesses survive this pandemic. However, by disallowing PPP loan recipients the ability to deduct forgiven PPP loan expenses, this actually amounts to a surprise tax increase to small businesses struggling to stay afloat including in my community. I do not believe this what any of you intended to happen. Bars and restaurants have seen the most economic injury due the virus. The recent Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act that Congress has passed will help. More types of relief like this targeted to this sector you all should explore deeper in the new session of Congress.
Finally, thank you for all that you have been doing to help us all during these tough times. My family and I like to wish all of your families a happy, healthier, and better New Year.
Sincerely,
Hon. Dan Langshaw
