The arrival of federal CARES Act money to the county is good news, but it isn’t going to be enough and that means lawmakers will need to get back to work to find out where more cash will come from and soon.

Last spring, the state received $1.39 billion of federal CARES Act money and initially, the CARES Act money seemed to be a bright, shining light against growing storm clouds on the horizon.

That’s because the impact of the pandemic isn’t going to lessen anytime soon. As news the COVID-19 vaccine is rolling out the reality is there will potentially be a high casualty rate among small businesses — especially restaurants — across Eastern Oregon by the time the pandemic is declared to be over.

Already the restaurant and hospitality businesses — two key elements in a place where the Pendleton Round-Up is one of the biggest economic engines — in the region are suffering.

Many will probably not survive the pandemic. That means more people will be out of a job in a region that has struggled economically for decades.

Which, in turn, means more money is going to be needed in the future if we are going to save small businesses.

CARES Act money has been put to good use, and the funds now available to Umatilla and Morrow county businesses is a good example. Businesses in both counties can apply for support until Tuesday, Dec. 15.

The money, though, isn’t going to go very far. At least not far enough to really make the impact that will save a business or a restaurant that is barely hanging on. The response to the pandemic across the nation and the state was mishandled essentially from the very beginning, but the willingness and dedication of Oregon officials to get much-needed money to local business deserves praise.

Yet, what happens after this round of money is gone? What is the plan going forward? An easy answer would be to put it all on Congress. But state officials need to take some responsibility too. They need to be ceaseless advocates to our federal congressional delegation regarding the need for more funds as soon as possible.

The squeaky wheel, in this case, will get the oil. Our state elected leaders can, and must, work to ensure Oregon — and especially Eastern Oregon — can count on further relief in the future.