This afternoon, Congressman Harley Rouda voted to pass an $8.3 billion emergency supplemental appropriations bill to fully address the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“I’m proud to support this bipartisan supplemental bill that empowers state and local health agencies, accelerates the development of a vaccine, and provides low-interest loans for small businesses suffering COVID-19 related financial losses,” said Rouda. “Last week, I led nearly three dozen new Members of Congress in calling for this funding, which provides the resources needed for an effective, coordinated, and comprehensive government-wide response to this public health threat.”
The supplemental bill, H.R. 6074, 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.
This article was released by the Office of Representative Harley Rouda.