Today, Rep. Jack Bergman announced new legislation to protect Seniors’ retirement accounts as COVID-19 continues to drag down the stock market. Under current law, Seniors age 72 and older must take required minimum distributions (RMDs) out of their traditional IRAs and other tax-deferred retirement savings plans. Seniors face a 50 percent tax penalty on the required withdrawal amount if they do not complete their annual RMD. For 2020, the minimum withdrawal amount is based on a percentage of a S...
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Friend, My colleagues over on the House Ways and Means Committee have put together a very informative "frequently asked questions" list regarding the federal government response to Coronavirus. I wanted to take a minute and share that with you, and help answer questions many may have. It covers a lot of information from seniors to small businesses - so I hope this is of some assistance to you. As always, we are available to help any way that we can, so please don't hesitate to reach out. Respect...
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Congressman Jack Bergman, along with twelve other Members of Michigan's Congressional delegation signed a letter to the U.S. Small Business Administration's Administrator, Jovita Carranza in support of the State of Michigan’s request for an Economic Injury Disaster declaration from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). The full letter can be found below, or here. Dear Administrator Carranza, As Members of Michigan’s congressional delegation, we write to support the State of Michigan’s re...
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Friends, Small business is the lifeblood of the First District. Having run a small business, I fully understand the strain this moment in time will have on our businesses that operate within small margins. Yesterday, Governor Whitmer requested the U.S. Small Business Administration to issue an Economic Injury Disaster declaration for the state. I have voiced my support for this, and I'm confident the President's Administration will have a quick turnaround on providing this for our state. It's my...
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With reports yesterday of confirmed Coronavirus cases in Otsego and Grand Traverse Counties, we know we must prepare, and take this illness seriously. Michigan's First District is home to over 50,000 of our nation's Veterans. As a Veteran and member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, I'm working to do my part to help ensure those who are serving and those who have served are protected and prepared. I've compiled some Veteran-specific information that I believe will be helpful, and I enc...
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President Trump is Expanding Telehealth Access In Response to Coronavirus The Administration has announced it is expanding telehealth access for Medicare patients to help protect America’s seniors and high-risk individuals. The President is directing the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand telehealth access for Medicare beneficiaries. Prior to this, Medicare was only able to offer telehealth services under limited circumstances. Medicare patients across the country will no...
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Friends, We are in trying times in America and around the globe. It's important for all of us to stay informed of the situation and to remain calm and prepared. I'm committed to ensuring everyone has the most up to date and accurate information available as we navigate these times together. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to any of our offices. Below you will find some information and resources regarding the Coronavirus response on the state and federal lev...
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Congressman Bergman issued the following release after the House agreed to a bipartisan legislative package to further fund and prepare our communities for the Coronavirus: "In times of hardship and crisis, leaders must work together for the common good of the American people. My staff and I are continuing our proactive approach and have been in discussions with Governor Whitmer, all state legislators from the First District, tribal leaders, emergency managers, doctors and healthcare leaders, Ve...
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Friends, I wanted to provide you with additional information that may be helpful to you as our country moves forward with addressing the challenges associated with Coronavirus. As a reminder, you can also stay in touch by following my Twitter account at @RepJackBergman or Facebook page @RepJackBergman for continued information. Today the CDC announced that over $560 million will be awarded to state & local jurisdictions in support of COVID-19 response. You can read the full release here. To see ...
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Today, Representatives Jack Bergman, Bruce Westerman, Rick Crawford, and Michael Guest submitted public comment to the Department of Interior, urging the Fish and Wildlife Service to move forward in the rulemaking process to provide depredation measures for cormorants in free swimming, wild fish areas and aquaculture facilities. The Congressmen wrote in part, "We urge the USFWS to collaborate with state fish and wildlife agencies, tribes, and Federal partners to create a long-term solution for b...
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