Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks Providing An Update On Much-Needed COVID Public Health Response Funding

Washington, D.C. –  Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor regarding the ongoing bipartisan negotiations for COVID public health funding. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Negotiations on COVID public health response funding continue: yesterday I met yet again with my Republican colleague Senator Romney as we work to an agreement, and today these negotiations will keep going.

To keep the process moving forward in the Senate, last night I took the first procedural step on a legislative vehicle through which the Senate could pass COVID public health funding, when the time comes that both sides reach an agreement.

We are not yet at the finish line, but we will keep working throughout the day and I am committed to working with the other side reasonably and in good faith.

The consequences of not getting COVID funding are really serious—scary, almost.

Additional public health funding is crucial for making sure every American can get a vaccine if needed, including booster doses and potentially new, more effective vaccines down the line.

New funding would help make sure we have enough testing supplies throughout the country, which we know is perhaps the most effective way to keeping track of the spread of the virus.

Of course, more funding would ensure the federal government can continue providing treatments like monoclonal antibody treatments, which are invaluable for preventing severe COVID infections. The lack of therapeutics is probably the greatest need of all. And we need money so we can have a supply. So when, God forbid, the next variant hits, we'll immediately be able to counter it with the kind of medicines that are needed that limit the severity of the infection.

The rest of the world is racing to buy up the supply of these treatments and these therapeutics, and if the U.S. falls behind because of a lack of funding, vulnerable Americans, and our whole country, will pay the price.

The bottom line is this: both sides should come to an agreement for more funding as quickly as possible because that will mean more vaccines, more therapeutics, and more testing so we can keep schools and communities open. And when and if a new variant hits, we can stay as “normal” as possible.

If a new COVID variant extends its nasty tentacles across the country and we don’t have the tools to respond, then woe is us.

We don’t want to see that, Americans don’t want to endure that, so let’s keep working to try and reach an agreement soon.

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