WILLSBURG, Ky. (LEX 18) — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is touring his home state while encouraging everyone to wear a mask as the state continues to navigate the pandemic.
He visited the Isaiah House in Washington County, which provides addiction treatment services to those in recovery. The Isaiah House continued operating during the economic shutdown thanks in small part to small business assistance from the CARES Act.
Senator McConnell says the relief package sent financial relief to 47,000 small businesses in Kentucky. McConnell also plays a sizable role in what happens next in Washington.
He reminded the crowd that COVID-19 isn't going away anytime soon.
"The challenge for all of us, because we're not going to shut down the economy again, is how do we get through this period where we are to the vaccine? And each of us can make a contribution by wearing a mask," said McConnell.
He says there's a total focus in the healthcare world on three things: testing, treatment, and a vaccine.
McConnell says pharmaceutical companies will be prepared to produce doses before clinical trials are complete.
As for what politicians can do in Washington, he says the Senate will reconvene in the next couple of weeks to discuss a possible second relief package. The package would focus on healthcare, jobs, and education.
McConnell stressed the importance of sending students back to school this fall and wants to have liability protection with a narrow focus on the coronavirus for entities operating during the pandemic.
"For hospitals, doctors, nurses, businesses, universities, colleges, K-12. We're not going to tolerate an epidemic of lawsuits on the heels of the pandemic," said McConnell.
We also asked Senator McConnell about Kentucky's position to recover.
"Kentucky so far has done really well, and honestly Kentucky is in a pretty good position. I'm one of four Congressional leaders, the only one not from New York or California. I look out for Kentucky and we've done well so far. That is not to say that there aren't stil plenty of needs, and all of that is part of the assessment process and what we'll be doing in July," said McConnell.
