By Tim Walberg and Steve Scalise Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak in Michigan, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has attempted to shield any criticism of her decision-making by repeatedly claiming to rely on the best data and science. Except too often that data is kept under lock and key. And when you dig deeper into the myriad executive orders, a science-based rationale typically turns out to be lacking. Whitmer's executive order on nursing homes is a case in point. Under this mandate, some nursing homes in Michigan were forced to admit COVID-19 patients back into their facilities. As a result, thousands of elderly residents were needlessly put at risk. From the outset of this pandemic scientists and health care professionals have told us that seniors were disproportionately vulnerable to this virus. As recently became public, just days after the first case hit Michigan the head of the state's leading nursing home association wrote Whitmer with an alternative proposal that recommended against returning infected patients to nursing homes. The governor ignored this expert advice. In doing so Michigan became one of only five states to pursue this misguided policy. Why was Michigan such an outlier at a time when most states reviewed the science and acted accordingly to protect vulnerable seniors? What's more, why did it take so long for the governor to reverse course after it became indefensible to send such a lethal virus into nursing homes? These are questions Whitmer has yet to answer. Months later, we still don't know the totality of the harm this decision has caused. The data released by the state has been slow, incomplete and filled with discrepancies. Greater transparency is necessary. What we do know is there have been at least 1,947 deaths among individuals who lived in nursing homes. That is more than 30% of Michigan's COVID-19 deaths. Tragically, that number is likely higher. For starters, it does not factor in deaths in places like assisted living facilities around the state. Moreover, in one Detroit-area nursing home the state is reporting zero deaths, while the city says the death toll is 18. Examples like this call into question the reliability of the state's data. After all this, it's no wonder criticism of Whitmer's executive order has been bipartisan. Democratic state Rep. Leslie Love called it "an epic fail" and the "most idiotic thing we could come up with." More Democrats in the Michigan legislature recently voted for a resolution calling for an end to this policy. As members of Congress, we have asked Whitmer to provide documentation explaining her decision in a congressional hearing and in a letter sent through the Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis. Each time, she has stonewalled these requests. We will not stop asking. The people of Michigan need answers. The families who lost loved ones deserve accountability. And policymakers should better understand what went wrong to learn from and prevent such fatal outcomes in the future. It's time for Whitmer to take responsibility for the consequences of her nursing home order, and own up to the fact that the science was simply not on her side. Seniors' lives are depending on it.

By Tim Walberg Eight weeks ago, the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in Michigan. In that time span, life has been turned upside down. Restaurants and small businesses have shuttered, schools have transitioned to remote learning, and tragically, too many of our fellow citizens have lost a friend or loved one. In Michigan's hour of hardship, the Trump administration has been a strong partner as we tackle this unprecedented challenge. Thanks to the leadership of President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and the Coronavirus Task Force, communities across our state have received a steady stream of resources to support everyone from frontline workers to Main Street businesses. Like many states, Michigan has faced an urgent need for medical supplies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stepped in and delivered 700 ventilators, 1.1 million N-95 respirators, and 900,000 surgical masks, and more personal protective equipment (PPE) from the Strategic National Stockpile. By way of the Supply Chain Task Force, Michigan received an additional 280 million pieces of gloves, masks, and other PPE. Overall, FEMA has directed more than $246 million to the state of Michigan. Funding from the federal level has also been critical in supporting hospitals statewide. In the first wave of CARES Act funding, medical providers received more than $936 million. An additional $32.5 million was sent to community health centers to bolster the response effort. The federal government is also supporting mobile testing sites around the state as well as the assembly of two alternative care facilities in southeast Michigan. Through the first round of the Paycheck Protection Program, the U.S. Small Business Administration approved loans to more than 43,000 Michigan small businesses and injected over $10 billion into our economy. That number is sure to grow with the program's renewed funding, keeping more workers on the job. As K-12 schools recalibrate how they deliver education, the U.S. Department of Education waived standardize testing requirements, granted greater flexibility on use of funding, and allocated $390 million to help address student needs. To support postsecondary education, federal student loan payments were halted and Michigan's community colleges and four-year institutions received more than $177 million to issue student grants and address funding shortfalls. These are just a few examples of how the Trump administration has stood in Michigan's corner. As additional CARES Act dollars are distributed, our state will receive even greater support from the federal government. It will require a continued spirit of collaboration -- neighbors helping neighbors, public and private sectors joining forces, and a whole-of-government approach -- to guide us through this crisis. Certainly, more unique obstacles await us in the days to come -- both on the health and economic front. But Michigan is better positioned to ultimately win this attack on our lives and livelihoods because of the widespread support from Trump and his team. To build on these relief efforts, the people of Michigan need their elected representatives to fulfill their core functions. At the federal level that means, instead of canceling session, Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to call the U.S. House of Representatives back to Washington to resume its legislative responsibilities. In these past eight weeks, Michiganians have learned how to adapt and responsibly follow social distancing guidelines. Many of them have been asked to work all along in essential jobs. As we take steps to safely re-open sectors of the economy, many more are about to head back to work. The People's House needs to do the same.

By Tim Walberg On Veterans Day, and every day of the year, we honor the men and women who have served in harm's way to defend our freedoms at home. As your representative in Congress, it is my duty to uphold our commitments to America's veterans. It is important to me to continue working to improve access to health care, employment opportunities, education, housing and more. Over the years, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has faced significant mismanagement challenges that have prevented timely access to essential services. With the launch of the MISSION Act this year, along with other new accountability measures, our goal is to reform and streamline the system to better serve veterans. The MISSION Act expands options for health care, as well as opens the doors for partnering with communities to limit wait times for critical health needs. When service-members return from the battlefield, we need to help make their transition back into civilian life as seamless as possible. Thanks to the enactment of the Forever GI Bill in 2017, veterans' access to lifelong educational and workforce development opportunities is stronger than ever. This law eliminates the 15-year time restriction for receiving GI Bill benefits, providing future recipients the ability to use their benefits at any point. The heartbreaking trend of veteran suicides also requires immediate action. Current data indicates that more than 20 of our nation's veterans and active-duty service-members take their own lives every day. The need to confront the unseen wounds of war is overwhelming. This year, the House has passed several bills focused on suicide prevention, including the Support for Suicide Prevention Coordinators Act, which will help ensure the VA has the tools it needs to boost mental health support. Another encouraging legislative development is the recent passage of the Homeless Veteran Families Act. This bipartisan bill will adjust the VA's per diem payment calculation for homeless veterans to include funding for minor dependents. No veteran, or their family members, should be left without a roof over their head. These bills -- and others like them -- are great steps forward, but the work must continue. This past year I teamed up with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell and Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin to host Veterans Resource Fairs that provide one-stop shopping for local veterans. These fairs are wonderful opportunities to listen to concerns and connect veterans with available resources in the community. I appreciate the chance to support veterans at these events throughout the 7th District each year. For those unable to attend an in-person resource fair, my office routinely hears from veterans requesting help to secure the benefits they have earned. We have a dedicated team of caseworkers who are here to help and want to hear your story. Veterans and their family members can call my office at 517-780-9075 if they ever require assistance navigating the bureaucracy and red tape at the VA. It is a great honor to help ensure our nation's heroes receive exceptional care and benefits worthy of their service.