Grants Pass lawmaker pushes for Oregon to let rural counties 'get back to work'

State Senate Minority Leader Herman Baertschiger joined NewsWatch 12 at Midday to discuss his argument for lifting restrictions on parts of Oregon.

Commu(1:23) i think in rural or, where we should start is in our rural hospitals, i think we ought to take mitigation, um, to a new level so that these hospitals can start conducting business elective, elective surgeries and stuff that they used to do.most people don't realize these hospitals haven't been doing that and they are going broke.

And the last thing i want our hospitals and our rural communities going broke.

(1:55) from there- the senator says we can start to look at other industries that could possibly reopen.

As reminder- these are some of the things governor brown has said needs to happen before she'll ease restrictions.

They include increasing testing capabilities and having enough medical equipment.

The growth of covid-19 needs to slow.

And the state needs to have a tracking system in place to trace who came into contact with someone exposed to the virus.

President trump released guidelines for re-opening last week.

He says he's leaving it to each governor to decide when and how to reopen economies.

Latest from washington.

Small groups of protesters are taking to the streets in some u-s cities, demanding an end to stay at home measures.

Pennsylvania protester: "these policies are destroying this economy" a new nbc news/wall street journal poll suggests nearly 60 percent of americans worry lifting restrictions too soon could make the pandemic worse, but these small groups of protesters have garnered support from the president.

President trump: "people feel that way, they are allowed to protest."

Governors meanwhile are weighing competing guidance from public health experts and businesses ... on when and how to open up their states' economies.

Gov.

Andrew cuomo / -d- new york: "you don't need protests to convince anyone in this country that we have to get back to work."

Gov.

Tom wolf /-d- pennsylvania: "the question we all have to face is what's the reality.

If we go to quickly, this could be unsafe for people."

Making that more difficult: state officials say they don't have the supplies for widespread testing, a critical part of sending americans back to work.

Gov.

Ralph northam/-d- virginia: "more help is needed from the federal government on testing."

Gov.

Jay inslee/-d- washington: "we simply have no had enough test kits."

Gov.

Gretchen whitmer/ -d- michigan: "we governors are doing the best we can with what we've got."

Negotiations are underway on a nearly $500 billion spending package to fund small business loans, hospitals and more testing.

Lawmakers now under pressure, while some americans grow restless in limbo.

In washington, i'm