NEWS FROM THE SECOND DISTRICTDear Friend,
The year is wrapping up, but unfortunately, we are still waiting for a deal to be reached for the 2021 Budget and the COVID-19 relief package. I know that this funding is critical for all Americans and I assure you that we are working hard to get you the aid you need.
I remain committed to doing what you sent me here to do – represent. Below you will see some information about the people throughout this district that I’ve helped this year. My staff and I have worked tremendously hard to be here for you throughout this pandemic. Please feel free to contact my office if we can ever do anything for you. 
We also received more good news this past week. We now have not one, but TWO vaccines. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization on Friday for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Thanks to Operation Warp Speed, more Americans will have access to a vaccine sooner.
As we approach the final weeks of 2020, I hope that you and your family stay safe and have the happiest of holidays. If Congress reaches a deal on the 2021 Budget or COVID-19 relief package, I’ll send you an update. Keep an eye on your inbox.
Please read about my week below:
This Week in the District
Legislative Updates
Coronavirus Updates
This Week in the District
Update from the U.S. Postal Service
I received an important update from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) about service delays experienced nationally. The following proactive alerts are provided on the landing page of usps.com and Informed Delivery.
As a result of the Holiday Season and the Coronavirus Virus (COVID-19) pandemic, Postal Service Priority Mail products, First-Class packages and Standard Mail (which includes Parcel Post, Parcel Select, Retail Ground and Media Mail) may experience delivery delays due to limited transportation availability, employee availability and increased volumes.
The Postal Service has assured me that their goal is to move packages as expeditiously as possible, and they are committed to ensuring timely processing and delivery of essential packages. The Postal Service continually reviews its network capacity to provide the American public reliable, efficient, and fast delivery service.
USPS has apologized for any inconvenience these delays may cause.
VA Closed on Christmas Eve
On December 11, 2020, President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order excusing Federal employees from duty for the scheduled workday of Thursday, December 24, 2020. The Department of Veterans Affairs will treat December 24, 2020, as a Federal holiday.
However, several of the health care services that they provide Veterans at the Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System are essential, and employees who are deemed essential will work as scheduled on December 24, 2020. All Veterans scheduled for an appointment or interventional procedures and surgeries on December 24, 2020, will still be seen. Legislative Updates
The COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Support Act
This past week, my colleagues and I introduced the House companion to the COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Support Act of 2020. We’ve made great strides in combatting COVID-19 thanks to Operation Warp Speed. Now, we must focus on getting the facts to the public about the COVID-19 vaccine.
This legislation will help to promote awareness and encourage participation, and ensure local governments have the resources to do so. Vaccines are most effective when a sufficient amount of Americans are vaccinated. I’ve said it from day one: if we’re going to overcome this pandemic, we must work together. Coronavirus Updates
Recent Updates 
- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted a new webpage: Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine Frequently Asked Questions. Questions cover what data the FDA used to authorize the vaccine for emergency use and how a vaccine goes from emergency use authorization to licensure.
- The FDA has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for an innovative COVID-19 viral antigen test developed with support from the National Institutes of Health’s Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) Initiative. Ellume USA, located in Valencia, California, designed the test for use at home without a prescription. This is the first EUA awarded for an at-home COVID test that can be purchased over the counter. Ellume developed the test with a $30 million contract and technical support from the RADx Tech program, managed by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of NIH. Ellume plans to scale-up manufacturing to deliver millions of home tests per month in 2021.
- As we approach the holiday season, we must take into consideration the proper precautions to protect ourselves, as well as our friends and family, from COVID-19. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) has a helpful guide that can help with planning holiday events. NOTE - These considerations are meant to supplement—not replace—any state, local, territorial, or tribal health and safety laws, rules, and regulations with which holiday gatherings must comply. Read more here.
Thank you for your continued energy and enthusiasm, as reflected in your letters and Facebook posts. If you haven’t already, LIKE my Facebook page. You can also follow me on Twitter @DrNealDunnFL2. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in Congress!
Sincerely,
Dr. Neal Dunn
Member of Congress
| Constituent Casework Corner
A veteran contacted my office following a dispute with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). The veteran was transferred from a VA emergency room to another emergency room in the community while under sedation. The agency then refused to cover the cost of treatment. We were able to work with the VA to determine that the veteran’s treatment was incorrectly entered as “non-emergent.” The error was promptly corrected in their system and the payment for the veteran’s treatment was covered.
Do you need help with a federal agency? Contact my office at 850-785-0812 or at www.dunn.house.gov
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