Jack Bergman

ALPENA — U.S. Rep. Jack Bergman said he questions coronavirus statistics put out by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and supports President Donald Trump’s order for hospitals to report data to another agency.

Recently, the Trump administration redirected COVID-19 data typically gathered and reported by the CDC to go directly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a new data portal.

The move has been controversial, with critics concerned the change could hamper the CDC’s ability to track and contain the virus.

Bergman said he has had questions about how the CDC has handled data and has no issue with the administration reviewing it. From his past experience working with the federal government, he said, he has learned even data can be politicized.

“Having spent decades in the Department of Defense, I don’t believe any of the numbers I have been presented,” Bergman, a retired U.S. Marine Corps general, said. “I strongly believe in the phrase ‘trust but verify,’ and that is as simple as what the administration is asking for. I’ll trust you, but I’m going to verify it.”

As the U.S. House is about to be excused for summer break until the end of August, Bergman said there has been an effort by Democrats to get another stimulus package passed as a follow-up to the $2 trillion deal that sent $1,200 checks directly to most Americans earlier this year. Senate Republicans are crafting their own proposal.

Bergman said there are still people struggling from the fallout of the pandemic, and he isn’t against more help for those who need it, especially small businesses.

However, he said he would not support stimulus checks being made out en masse like earlier this year. He said that, as of now, he is also not in favor of extending a provision that gave an extra $600 a week to unemployed workers, because he said that discourages people from going back to work.

Bergman said the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act required that, when a recipient of the unemployment money refused to come back to work when called by his or her employer, the business was to contact the state and report it. Right now, the state has not taken action on such violations, and, as a result, people are taking advantage of the system, he said.

“They aren’t being taken off the unemployment roles, the way this was intended,” he said. “The state has not executed it at all.”

Bergman said he may support a plan in which an employee who returns to work receives $600 a week or other amounts of support, because that would help small businesses struggling to get employees to return now that they are reopened.

The $600 unemployment add-on is set to expire on July 31.

“It was a well-intentioned program that created a market where employees won’t come back to work because they’re making more money at home,” he said.

“I maybe could be convinced to give a re-employment $600 for a few months to help the people and the business,” he added.

Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she is considering keeping the House in session until a new stimulus plan is passed.

Bergman said that is tough talk and she, as much as anyone, wants to go on break and not vote on the $1.3 trillion plan the majority is pushing.

“She can’t wait to get out of there,” Bergman said. “Trust me when I tell you she wants to get out of Washington, because then she can blame the Republicans for there not being a vote on the bill.”

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.