Schumer Statement On Senate Passage Of Bipartisan Funding Agreement To Combat Coronavirus

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer today released the following statement after the United States Senate passed the bipartisan funding agreement to combat the spread of coronavirus:

“We have an emergency in this country and it calls for steady and competent leadership from our government. While the president dithers and tells mistruths about the coronavirus outbreak, the House and Senate have come together in a bipartisan way on an important first step to deal with this crisis. Importantly, this legislation rejects the Trump administration’s dangerously inadequate proposal and is much closer to the $8.5 billion figure that I believed was more appropriate.

“This legislation also includes crucial resources so the federal government can begin to reimburse state and local governments for costs incurred while assisting the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak, provides funding for low-interest SBA loans to assist small businesses impacted by the outbreak, and funding for important healthcare programs, including BARDA, CDC, and NIH. The final legislation also fulfills our trust responsibilities to Native American tribes by providing at least $40 million for tribal health entities, including Urban Indian programs, to ensure tribal communities have additional resources to respond to the virus outbreak.

###