WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the nation’s capital, the U.S. Senate is working on passing the second round of federal funding to help fight the coronavirus.

  • Senators Brown and Portman back in DC to work on coronavirus response
  • Both support “Phase Two” spending deal
  • Both say more needs to be done

Both of Ohio’s senators are on the Hill and agreed on Tuesday that the Senate should not leave town until more legislation is passed that pumps money into the economy as the virus continues to spread.

Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) said in a phone call with media late Tuesday morning that he supports the “Phase Two” spending bill — but that it doesn’t cover everything.

“I support a lot of what’s in that package —the enhanced unemployment benefits, the additional food stamps (that’s necessary), the paid leave provisions, increased [Small Business Administration] lending, but I think it doesn’t provide as much help for employers as we need to be providing, particularly small employers,” Portman said. “So we’re working to try to improve that.”

Portman said more needs to be done to keep businesses from going bankrupt and the economy stable during this pandemic. He also wants paid sick leave legislation to be broader.

Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) said in a separate phone call that he supports the “Phase Two” bill as well, but was frustrated that the Senate waited several days to pass it after the House did so late last week.

He’s also proposing giving every low-income and middle class American adult at least $1,000 during the pandemic; and he wants the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit to be expanded for the next several years.

Since Brown is a former Ohio secretary of state, I also asked him what he thought of the decision to postpone Ohio’s primary because of the coronavirus — and whether he would’ve done anything differently.

“I hesitate to criticize the governor [Mike DeWine] when I’ve seen how well he’s done this,” Brown said. "I would only say I wished he had done it a little bit earlier…I would’ve suggested to my family, if they were working at the polls, not to do it.”

Both senators also brought up unemployment and the need to expand it so people don’t go without money if they are laid off or can’t go to work.

Portman said Ohio has received 45,000 unemployment claims this week alone, compared to just 6,500 last week.

He said you can go to unemployment.ohio.gov for information on how to apply.

Portman also said he will be introducing legislation that would allow members of Congress to vote remotely during a national emergency, so they don’t have to keep traveling back to Washington.

Brown said he is open to it.