The bi-partisan “Problem Solvers Caucus” in Congress unveiled a comprehensive plan on Monday to reopen the economy.
Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams, one of the 50 House members of the caucus, said the comprehensive plan will help get the nation’s businesses back to work.
“We have to understand that this will part of our community until there’s a vaccine, which could be a long way away,” said McAdams. “Utah families are really suffering, we have to find a way to get people back to work, but make sure that we do it in a way that is safe and responsible,” said McAdams.
The nation’s economy has been decimated due to the coronavirus outbreak. More than 20 million Americans have lost their jobs, wiping out all of the job gains since the Great Recession in 2009.
The “Back to Work” checklist includes several steps for the country to take, including scaling up testing, in order to reopen businesses. The plan calls for the rapid adoption of testing and contact tracing for those who test positive. Workplaces will have to configure their layouts and workspaces to maintain proper social distancing measures, and employees will need to follow strict sanitation guidelines.
McAdams says what the group is proposing is similar to what Gov. Gary Herbert has mapped out to get Utah’s economy rolling again.
“The challenge we’re facing is monumental. Governor Herbert said it well that this is not going to be like a light switch. We’ll need to turn things up as we build up confidence and capability. As we build this infrastructure, we’re going to open in stages,” he said.
The call for patience and a gradual approach to getting the country back to work is not sitting well with some, however. Over the weekend, there were several demonstrations against the lockdown procedures to slow the spread of the virus, including one in downtown Salt Lake City.
McAdams says he sympathizes with the protesters but is worried that moving too quickly could undo all of the progress made fighting the spread of the coronavirus so far.
“I empathize with their sense of urgency and the hardship they’re facing,” he said. “I understand the eagerness to move forward. We all want to get the economy reopened and get people back to work, but we need to do it responsibly and not risk the lives of fellow members of the community.”
Read the entire Problem Solvers Caucus “Back to Work” checklist here.
