Congresswoman Susan W. Brooks (R-Ind.-05) provided the following statement Wednesday after voting in favor of H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, which passed the House by a vote of 415-2:
Brooks
“I am proud Congress was able to act quickly and come together in a bipartisan manner to provide an emergency funding bill to fight the coronavirus that has been spreading throughout the world and now in the United States,” Brooks said. “In my eight years in Congress, developing preparedness plans for pandemics and public health emergencies, like COVID-19, has been a top priority of mine, as a leader of the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act (PAHPA) in the House. The United States remains the number one country in the world when it comes to biosecurity according the Global Health Security Index. It is important we do not just use ‘a whole of government’ but ‘a whole of America’ approach to prevent this virus from spreading by following the CDC’s travel and prevention guidelines.”
Background
The Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental provides $7.8 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations for the U.S. response to coronavirus.
- More than $4 billion to make diagnostic tests more broadly available; to support treatments to ease the symptoms of those infected with the virus; and to invest in vaccine development and to procure vaccines when they are available. Funds are also made available for the Food and Drug Administration to protect the integrity of medical products manufactured overseas and identify and prevent potential shortages.
- $2.2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a robust response, including: Nearly $1 billion exclusively for state and local response efforts; and $300 million for CDC’s Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund to prevent, prepare for, and respond to diseases – keeping our nation prepared and positioned for any health threat.
- $20 million to administer disaster assistance loans for small businesses impacted by the virus.
- $1.25 billion for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to protect Americans abroad and prevent the spread of the virus worldwide, including: $264 million to evacuate Americans and maintain consular operations overseas; and $200 million for USAID’s Emergency Response Fund to prepare for and respond to emerging health threats – working to prevent the spread of illness and infection before it reaches U.S. soil.
- Any unused funds will expire in two to four years.
Click here to read the full text of the bill.