Promises Made, Promises Kept

As we look forward to a new administration and Congress, there is hope–a hope that we will finally be able to bring the pandemic under control with vaccines and new leadership. And, hope that our country will cease to have the brutal partisanship that has divided us for so long.

One very bright development occurred several months ago, when Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., held a Zoom call with leaders of the New York housing cooperatives, promising to make sure that housing cooperatives would be made eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in the next stimulus bill. True to his word, Sen. Schumer made sure that housing cooperatives were in the stimulus bill passed by Congress in December. Along the way, he assigned his director of economic development to ensure that cooperatives would be in the measure. His office stayed in contact every step of the way. The director contacted U.S. Rep. Nydia Velasquez, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the U.S. House Small Business Committee, and at Sen. Schumer’s request, her office added housing cooperatives to the bill.

I know many people have lost faith in Congress and our government to help us in times of need, but we also need to be reminded about members of Congress who are responsive to their constituents. Sen. Schumer is to be commended and thanked by all of us for ensuring that we were part of the latest stimulus package. What a friend we have in Sen. Schumer! He made a promise to help us, and he kept it.

Judy Sullivan is NAHC’s government relations representative. She is also the recipient of NAHC’s Jerry Voorhis and the Roger J. Willcox President’s awards

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