Shaheen, Hassan Vote in Support of Coronavirus Response Legislation, Send Bipartisan Bill to President’s Desk

(Washington, DC)—U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) issued the following statements after voting in support of bipartisan, bicameral Coronavirus response legislation. The bill passed the House of Representatives yesterday and will now be sent to the President to be signed into law. 

“I’m pleased to see this legislation move swiftly through Congress and I urge President Trump to expeditiously sign it into law. Our health officials in New Hampshire are waiting on these funds as they continue to work around the clock to contain and mitigate the spread of the Coronavirus,” said Senator Shaheen. “I appreciate the meaningful, bipartisan response we’ve seen from every level of government to respond to this emergency and I hope that continues as we work together to confront this crisis. The public health of Granite Staters and the American people is my top priority and I’ll keep working across the aisle to ensure our state has the resources it needs to combat the full scope of this threat.”

“This emergency funding bill is an important step to give the federal government, state governments, and health care professionals on the front lines vital resources to detect, contain, and respond to this outbreak,” said Senator Hassan. “I am grateful for the swift bipartisan work to get this bill to the president’s desk, and I will keep doing everything that I can to get our local communities the resources and support that they need. I will also continue to work with members of both parties to ensure that the administration is effectively coordinating across all levels of government and providing clear, fact-based guidance and support to states.”

Senators Shaheen and Hassan joined with New Hampshire’s delegation in calling for this emergency legislation to include reimbursement for states who are already bearing a substantial financial burden as they respond to the Coronavirus.    

The bipartisan emergency funding bill provides:   

• $8.3 billion for the national effort to respond to the Coronavirus;
• A formula grant that ensures New Hampshire will receive an initial $4.9 million to support NH’s response efforts;
• $350 million for areas of the country where there are high concentrations of the virus;
• $500 million to procure pharmaceuticals, masks, protective equipment, and other medical supplies to distribute to state and local hospitals;
• Funding to reimburse states for expenses stemming from Coronavirus response efforts;
• Replenishes the CDC Infections Disease Rapid Response Fund which helps send CDC personnel and resources around the country;
• And provides funding for training local responders and bed capacity in areas with high concentrations of the virus.   

Shaheen and Hassan have been sounding the alarm on the need for additional federal funding and access to public information in preparation for the spread of the Coronavirus. Ahead of President Trump’s budget announcement earlier this month, Shaheen and Hassan sent a letter with the New Hampshire congressional delegation calling for the administration to appropriately fund Coronavirus prevention efforts in the President’s budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2021. Shaheen and Hassan also sent a letter with fellow senators urging the Trump administration to put forward an emergency funding request to Congress. Further, Shaheen joined a group of 25 Senators earlier this month, calling on the National Security Council (NSC) to address and coordinate administration efforts in response to the Coronavirus and other global health security threats.

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