Join The Texas Tribune at 8 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday for an interview with U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, who will talk with Tribune CEO Evan Smith.
Roy will answer questions about how the federal government is responding to the coronavirus outbreak. We’ll discuss the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration to curb the spread of the virus, what support Texans can expect from Congress, the effects of the federal government’s recently passed coronavirus package and more.
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As the threat of the coronavirus outbreak spreads from state to state, Congress passed a massive spending bill aimed at mitigating the health and economic impact of the coronavirus.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act is estimated to cost more than $2 trillion, with the goals of reinforcing the medical response to the pandemic, keeping businesses afloat and bolstering the U.S. economy. The bill will direct payments to individual Americans and loans to distressed businesses affected by the virus outbreak.
In an effort to combat the virus, state and local leaders have issued shelter-in-place orders to enforce social distancing practices to curb the spread of the virus, effectively closing many local businesses and leaving many Texans unemployed. In recent weeks, these leaders have grappled with preparing to reopen the economy and get Texans back to work while also keeping public health and safety as a top priority.
Roy has been a critic of several government attempts to curb the spread of the virus, including those that put significant restrictions on economic activity. “Right now we don’t have any time to play political games,” Roy said. “We need to be focused like a laser on getting our economy started ASAP, and we’ve got to get dollars to businesses to keep them afloat.”
Roy has also warned of government overreach by state and local leaders. While Roy voted for the CARES Act and Congress’ most recent funding bill aimed at helping small businesses recover, he voted against funding additional government measures, including a measure that allocated funding for free testing for the virus, expanded food aid and expanded sick leave benefits for workers.
Roy is serving his first term representing Texas’ 21st Congressional District. He sits on the House Budget, Oversight and Reform, and Veterans’ Affairs committees. He faces a tough reelection battle this year against Wendy Davis, a former state senator and Democratic gubernatorial candidate. Previously, Roy served as director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Tenth Amendment Action. He also served as the state’s first assistant attorney general and as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz.
This conversation will be livestreamed starting at 8 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday, May 6, here and on our social media channels. What do you want us to ask Roy? Submit your questions above or tweet us using the hashtag #AskTrib.
Disclosure: The Texas Public Policy Foundation has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
This event is presented by AT&T and TEXAS 2036. Media support is provided by KXAN.
Tribune events are also supported through contributions from our founding investors and members. Though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite Texas Tribune events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.