In Letter to the President, Brown Outlines Critical Steps White House can Take Now to Address Shortage of Personal Protective Equipment U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) has released his plan for addressing the shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by healthcare workers on the frontline of keeping Americans healthy and safe during the coronavirus pandemic.  Read Sen. [...]

The Florida Keys are closed to visitors, including all hotels and other lodging establishments. Officials from Monroe County, which encompasses most of the archipelago off the southern coast of Florida, posted a statement on the county's website that said the Keys would be "closed to all tourists and leisure visitors, lodging establishment are no longer [...]

The Miami Herald is reporting that the mayor of Miami-Dade County has announced the closure of all marinas and boat ramps in the county, citing large gatherings of boaters on the water amid the coronavirus pandemic. Palm Beach County officials also banned recreational boating activities indefinitely, citing parties and other large gatherings on the water. [...]

The U.S. Department of Labor has resources to help workers and employers prepare for impacts related to the COVID-19 virus. A wealth of information can be found on this website https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus. Information is available on numerous topics including workplace safety, unemployment insurance, and support for dislocated workers. The website was developed in collaboration with the U.S. [...]

Health and government officials are working together to maintain the safety, security, and health of the American people. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is urging businesses do their part to keep their employees, customers, and themselves healthy. The SBA will work directly with state governors to provide targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses and non-profits [...]

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is requesting a critical need for personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves, gowns & masks to aid in the COVID-19 battle. He writes via a Twitter post, “We need companies to be creative to supply the crucial gear our healthcare workers need. NY will pay a premium and offer funding.” His post [...]

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is working with federal and state banking agencies, as well as financial institutions to consider all reasonable and prudent steps to assist customers in communities affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). In addition, FDIC is monitoring information issued by international and U.S. health organizations. Regulatory agencies have encouraged financial institutions [...]

A coalition of iconic American apparel brands and textile companies, responding to the urgent call of the White House for medical supplies, has come together to build a supply chain virtually overnight and fast-track the manufacturing of medical face masks to help hospitals, health care workers and citizens battling the spread of the COVID-19 disease. [...]

Industrial Fabrics International Association (ATA) and two other U.S. textile and nonwoven associations issued a joint statement March 19 urging federal, state and local governments to deem textile and nonwoven manufacturing facilities as “essential” when drafting “Shelter in Place” orders in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The statement notes, “We associations recognize the serious challenges [...]

On Wednesday, March 18, U.S. President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Product Act (DPA) to speed up and expand the supply of resources from the country's industrial base, particularly to increase the production of medical supplies and equipment.  "We will be invoking the Defense Production Act," the president announced during Wednesday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing. [...]