U.S. Rep. Doug Collins says post-COVID-19 economic recovery will take time

While some states, including Georgia, are beginning to allow some businesses to reopen amid the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Rep. Doug Collins said that alone may not be enough to help those businesses right away.

Congress has passed multiple bills designed to stimulate the economy and keep it afloat during the pandemic while Republican leaders, such as Gov. Brian Kemp, have begun limited reopenings of some businesses in their states to provide an economic boost as well. But, Collins, R-Ga., believes it could take some time to fully get back on its feet.

He said things might be sluggish for at least a little while after businesses begin reopening and that the U.S. House and Senate will need to keep an eye on that as they tackle the economic recovery.

“Even if states are opening back up, that doesn’t mean they automatically are back to where they need to be,” Collins said. “Say if you have a restaurant that opens up and (it normally) has a 100 (person) capacity and they can only do 40 at a time, that’s a huge a loss of revenue. It’s going to take a few weeks and a couple of months to really hopefully get back to normal so we’ll be judging that.”

Collins is one of several candidates challenging U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, R-Ga., in November for her Senate seat — which she was appointed to by Kemp late last year after U.S. Johnny Isakson announced his retirement. The veteran congressman recently talked with the Daily Post about the federal response to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic, why he’s running for the Senate and what he’d like to do if elected.

There are 20 candidates, including several Republicans and Democrats, challenging Loeffler. Ebenezer Baptist church Pastor Ralph Warnock and Matt Lieberman, the son of former vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, are among the higher profile Democrats in the race.

High praise for Trump’s COVID-19 response

Collins, who has been an ardent supporter of President Donald Trump, praised the president’s handling of the pandemic so far. Opinions of Trump’s handling of the situation has been split with debate about the availability of testing and his remarks about disinfectant, but Republican governors, senators and congressmen have heaped praise on the president.

“In light of the situation that we were handed, the information that was coming out of China earlier on and things that were happening, I think the president has handled it well,” Collins told the Daily Post during an interview April 21. “I think, as you look at it, it’s been a good response as it goes on.

“The best thing about it though is that early on we stopped travel from China, we began to set up the task force … we’re working to make sure we have the resources available. And the best thing about it is that it’s been adjusted as they found the needs.”

Collins also pointed to the Payroll Protection Program, or PPP, which the House and Senate funded, and then added more money to after the original pot ran out of money, as one form of assistance. That money is expected to help a business for a couple of months, Collins said.

The congressman has also asked Trump to have the federal government buy ads in local community newspapers to generate some ad revenue for those outlets to help keep them afloat. The ads would encourage safe practices for preventing the spread of COVID-19, he said.

As far as how quickly communications and getting resources came out from the federal government, Collins conceded “not everybody is going to be happy with how that happens and how that goes forward.” He added, however, that he felt the government’s actions have been beneficial.

“For the vast majority of people, starting it early and talking about it regularly has helped in many ways in other parts of the country that (were) not originally hit flatten the curve so that we’re in a position to re-open the country quicker rather than later,” Collins said.

Congressman says his record qualifies him for Senate

Collins sees the race to serve the final two years of what had been Isakson’s term in the Senate as coming down to experience.

Collins pointed to his own experience as to why he should be elected to the Senate in the special election which will take place in November. The Hall County resident was a three-term state representative before being elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from the 9th Congressional District starting in 2012.

“I’m tested. I’m proven. I’ve been there,” Collins said. “If you go back to my state house days, we worked on the HOPE scholarship (reform), that’s a bill that I championed as Gov. Deal’s floor leader to make sure that we still have the HOPE scholarship. It’s about being able to accomplish things for people.

“It’s not having to wonder ‘What should I say now?’ As far as my political beliefs, I’ve been articulating them for years. And it’s about being able to get stuff done. If they want to see someone who fights for them, if they want to see someone who fights for this president, if they want to see someone who can speak passionately about issues, that’s what I have been doing for years.”

Collins’ plans if elected to the Senate

Collins said he plans to continue work he started in the U.S. House of Representatives if he’s elected to the Senate.

That includes tackling legislation dealing with criminal justice reform, intellectual property, trade secrets, financial data privacy and supporting biopharmacy research.

“For us, it’s a continuation of what we have already been doing, and being that voice for Georgia in the Senate just as we have been in the House,” Collins said. “We feel like we can hit the ground running on day one. We have the relationships built up, we understand the legislative process — just in a different body — as we go forward. That’s good for Georgia (and) that’s good for the country and our economy.”

And, speaking of the economy, there is the issue of getting it back on its feet in a post-COVID-19 world.

The congressman said the government will have to eventually back out of its role in shutting businesses down to slow or stop the spread of the disease.

“My hope is that we’ll able to wean the government back out of it and let the businesses open back up, let the economy get back into full swing,” Collins said. “If we go into a long-term process where unemployment remains high … then that’s going to lead to a longer term problem.

“If we can keep it into the temporary, that is the best way I see us coming out of it.”