December 3, 2020
The Honorable Mark R. Warner 703 Hart SOB
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Tim Kaine 231 Russell SOB
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Robert J. Wittman 2205 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Elaine Luria 534 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Robert C. Scott 1201 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable A. Donald McEachin
314 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Denver Riggleman 1022 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Ben Cline 1009 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Abigail Spanberger 1239 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Benjamin L. Cardin 509 Hart SOB
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Chris Van Hollen 110 Hart SOB
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Steny Hoyer 1705 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Andy Harris 2334 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger
2206 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable John P. Sarbanes 2370 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Anthony Brown 1323 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable David Trone 1213 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Jamie Raskin
412 Cannon HOB Washington, DC
The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton
2136 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC20515
The Honorable Don Beyer 1119 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Morgan Griffith 2202 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Jennifer Wexton 1217 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
The Honorable Gerald E. Connolly 2238 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Members of the Congressional Delegation for Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia:
As the year 2020 wraps up, our state and local governments continue to deal with the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) to our region’s employers, their employees, and their families, and we applaud your shared leadership and commitment to deliver much-needed assistance, especially to those most vulnerable. As a coalition of Capital Region business organizations, we are aligned and support your efforts in the passage of an FY2021 omnibus spending package and additional economic relief in this package before the 116th Congress concludes. We support the inclusion of funding for healthcare providers and healthcare systems to combat the virus and increased testing capacity, increased support for transit agencies, and additional aid for state and local governments who have diverted their already strained resources to combatting the virus, including equal support for the District of Columbia to protect its residents, federal employees, and economy.
As we work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 and to coordinate successful vaccination distribution, we stand together with you in putting the health and safety of our region first. For our economy to reopen safely and efficiently, we need clear guidance supported by data and science from public health and emergency response experts, informed by an increase in testing capacity, contact tracing, and enhanced supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Our region spans three jurisdictions, with a significant portion of our workforce — especially those considered essential workers— relying on public transportation. Increased support for transit agencies is critical to ensure that our regional economy recovers from the pandemic and that workers can safely and reliably have access to jobs. We urge the Delegation to advocate for additional funding for our transit agencies — such as the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Washington Area Metropolitan Authority, Montgomery County Ride On, Prince George’s County The Bus, Fairfax County Connector, and the Greater Richmond Transit Company — and to ensure MTA receives an equitable funding allocation compared to its large metro transit partners throughout the U.S.
Also critical to our success is a fully functioning public sector partner at the federal, state, and local levels to achieve a safe reopening of our region’s businesses. Early estimates show the public sector budgetary impact from COVID-19 will exceed the Great Recession. The decline of the public sector workforce will limit the public sector’s ability to partner with the private sector to safely and gradually reopen our operations, and will suffocate our region’s ability to provide essential services such as public health, education, public safety, transportation, and other vital services.
The continued rise of COVID-19 positive patients combined with a lack of funding to address the complex and systemic needs across the country is urgent. Please support additional aid for state and local governments to provide critical services and employment in FY2021. This funding should remain flexible and support important services such as public health, transportation (e.g., transit and Amtrak), K-12 and higher education, housing, job retraining, and upskilling. We also urge you to ensure that the District of Columbia receives funding that is equal to aid provided to states, because District residents and businesses have been equally impacted and deserve equal treatment.
Thank you for your leadership and attention to our region’s needs during this very difficult time, and please do not hesitate to reach out for further support.
Sincerely,
| Joe Haggerty, President & CEO Alexandria Chamber of Commerce
Kate Bates, President & CEO Arlington Chamber of Commerce
Gina Stewart, Executive Director BWI Business Partnership
Brian Anderson, President & CEO ChamberRVA
Angela Franco, Interim President & CEO DC Chamber of Commerce |
Michele L. Whelley, President & CEO Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore
Anthony A.Williams, CEO & Executive Director Federal City Council
Donald C. Fry, President & CEO Greater Baltimore Committee
Ginanne Mayer Italiano, President & CEO Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce
Jane Redicker, President & CEO Greater Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce |
| Jack McDougle, President & CEO Greater Washington Board of Trade
JB Holston, President & CEO Greater Washington Partnership
Leonardo McClarty, CCE, President/CEO Howard County Chamber
Tony Howard, President & CEO Loudon County Chamber of Commerce
Georgette Godwin, President & CEO Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce |
Julie Coons, President & CEO
Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce
David C. Harrington, President & CEO Prince George’s Chamber of Commerce
Marji Graf, President & CEO Rockville Chamber of Commerce
Caitlin Rogger, Interim Executive Director DC Sustainable Transportation |