Rep. Cisneros Votes for Coronavirus Emergency Funding to Protect the 39th District

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Representative Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr. (CA-39) voted for the $8.3 billion emergency supplemental funding to combat the coronavirus epidemic and keep residents in California’s 39th District and across the country safe. The House-passed appropriations bill includes funding for vaccine R&D, local and state health agencies, and affected small businesses. In keeping with House Democrats’ commitment to lower drug costs, the legislation also provides $300 million so the government can purchase vaccines at a fair and reasonable price.

“Now that Orange and Los Angeles Counties have declared health emergencies, the federal government must do more to protect Americans against the spread of the coronavirus. This means having the resources and funding needed for an effective, coordinated, and comprehensive response,” said Rep. Cisneros. “Not only do we need to invest in developing a vaccine, we also need to work with our local and state governments to ensure they are properly equipped to deal with this public health crisis. I join my Democratic and Republican colleagues in passing this emergency supplemental funding, and I urge the Senate and President to do the same.”

The emergency supplemental provides $8.3 billion in entirely new funding to combat the coronavirus epidemic. 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
• An estimated $7 billion in low-interest loans to affected small businesses, to help cushion the economic blow of this public health emergency.

The emergency supplemental also contains other strong provisions to ensure a full response. The bill:

• Allows seniors to access telemedicine services for coronavirus treatment;
• Requires the Trump administration to reimburse health accounts that were previously raided to pay for the coronavirus response; and
• Ensures state and local governments are reimbursed for costs incurred while assisting the federal response.