Time is ticking for when funding for the federal government and COVID-19 related programs will expire.

Iowa’s Third Congressional District Representative Cindy Axne tells Raccoon Valley Radio she sent a letter to leadership in both the U.S. House and Senate asking them to extend certain COVID-19 programs that are due to expire at the end of the year, including expanded sick leave, the eviction moratorium and continuing unemployment benefits for over 10 million people.

“I believe that we can at least agree that this would be the worst possible time to let programs expire that we already put in place to help Americans.”

Congresswoman Axne notes that the current funding for the federal government will run out by Friday, December 12th. She is hopeful that not only will Congress avoid a federal government shutdown, but that she can maybe extend these COVID-19 programs through that route.

“Either way what I want people to understand is that we’re looking at all mechanisms to put additional relief in there, depending whether it’s a stand alone COVID bill or end of year budget. Because I feel that the budget is the thing that we’re going to get done more readily.”

Axne adds that she is glad to see another COVID-19 related bill in the Senate, but it doesn’t address the programs that she wants to see continue.