Sen. Jacky Rosen plans ‘virtual tour’ of Nevada to talk coronavirus

While Nevada Democrats were tuned into their national political convention, Sen. Jacky Rosen said Thursday she would launch a statewide virtual tour to talk with constituents in every county about ongoing efforts to battle the coronavirus.

Rosen, D-Nev., said she would hold virtual roundtable discussions and meetings with people and groups in the state’s 17 counties over a seven-day period, beginning Friday.

Rosen said she hoped to hear from all constituents, regardless of party affiliation, about the best ways to address the ongoing economic and health hardships that have been caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which has taken the lives of more than 1,100 Nevadans.

Her tour coincides with a Friday visit to Las Vegas by Jovita Carranza, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration. Carranza is scheduled to meet with small-business owners in the state, which has received 45,771 Paycheck Protection Program loans totaling $4 billion.

The PPP loans, forgivable loans to small businesses that use the money to keep employees on the job, were part of the CARES Act.

Not told about SBA visit to state

Rosen said she was not notified about the SBA administrator’s visit but said she would get in touch with the Trump administration official.

“I want to let her know what my state needs, not what she thinks it needs,” Rosen said. “I still have businesses that are hurting.”

Rosen said small businesses that provide child care operators and nonprofits, in particular, have failed to receive loans under the program managed by the SBA.

Rosen said her virtual tour of the state over the next week will include meetings with business leaders, faith leaders and all organizations and groups to determine what still needs to be addressed as the rate of coronavirus infections and deaths continues to rise in Nevada.

“No matter who I talk to, they are worried about the same thing: How do I keep myself safe and how do I keep my family safe?” Rosen said.

The senator said “people just want us to invest in them so they don’t lose their homes and their jobs and their health care.”

Information about Rosen’s virtual tours is available through her offices in Las Vegas (702-388-0205) and Reno (775-337-0110).

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@reviewjournal.com