March 4, 2020 Press Release
Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) voted for the bipartisan, bicameral coronavirus emergency response supplemental funding bill, allocating $8.3 billion for a robust response to the crisis, including support for state and local health agencies, vaccine and treatment development, and loans for affected small businesses.
“I take the safety of all Nevadans seriously. While there have been no reported cases of coronavirus yet in our state, I voted today to ensure that my state, and all Americans, have the resources needed for an effective, coordinated, and comprehensive government-wide response to the growing public health threat,” Congressman Steven Horsford said. “This funding bill has bipartisan, bicameral and Trump administration support because when lives are at stake, there is no room for debate. We must act now to protect the American people and my constituents in Nevada.”
The emergency supplemental provides $8.3 billion in entirely new funding—not funding stolen from other critical public health priorities—to combat the coronavirus epidemic and keep Americans safe. It includes:
- More than $3 billion for research and development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics;
- $2.2 billion in public health funding for prevention, preparedness, and response, $950 million of which is to support state & local health agencies;
- Nearly $1 billion for procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, to support healthcare preparedness and Community Health Centers, and to improve medical surge capacity;
- $61 million to facilitate the development and review of medical countermeasures, devices, therapies, and vaccines, and to help mitigate potential supply chain interruptions;
- $1.25 billion to address the coronavirus abroad to help keep Americans safe here at home; and
- Allows for an estimated $7 billion in low-interest loans to affected small businesses, to help cushion the economic blow of this public health emergency.
The bill also includes provisions to protect the country’s most vulnerable populations, including older Americans who reside in nursing homes, including one such provision to allow funds to be used for construction or renovation of facilities to improve preparedness and response capabilities to the coronavirus at the State and local levels. Additionally, it will allow funding to be used for medical surge capacity, which will increase the supply of biocontainment beds at additional health facilities.
The House Ways and Means Committee, of which the Congressman is a member, also sent a letter on Tuesday to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Seema Verma, calling on the agency to provide information regarding its engagement with nursing homes to prevent the introduction and spread of coronavirus within and between facilities.
The House Ways and Means Committee, of which the Congressman is a member, also sent a letter on Tuesday to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator, Seema Verma, calling on the agency to provide information regarding its engagement with nursing homes to prevent the introduction and spread of coronavirus within and between facilities.
If you need assistance or more information about the coronavirus, please contact our office at 702-963-9360. For additional information, please visit my website’s coronavirus resource page or CDC.gov.
