WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the statement below following President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency to combat Coronavirus and after voting to support H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act:
“Our response to the Coronavirus outbreak is evolving every day, but we must not forget: The United States is strong, and the people of Central Washington are resilient.
A national emergency declaration creates flexibility and unlock funds to stop the spread of the virus across the country and around the world. I applaud President Trump and the Administration for taking this pandemic seriously, and I appreciate their leadership as they work with states and local health departments to ensure Americans stay healthy and informed.
I will continue to work to expand access to COVID-19 testing, provide resources for small businesses and workers affected by the outbreak, and support families struggling with the repercussions of state-mandated school closures.”
Background:
On March 5, Rep. Newhouse joined Vice President Mike Pence in Washington state to tour the Emergency Operations Center and meet with Governor Jay Inslee to ensure federal support for state and local efforts to combat COVID-19.
On March 6, President Trump signed into law a $8.3 billion emergency package to combat the spread of Coronavirus. Rep. Newhouse supported the passage of the spending bill in the House.
On March 9, Rep. Newhouse joined the Washington state delegation to send a letter to Vice President Pence urging further coordination of a robust federal response to the outbreak.
“We recognize that, as the first state to deal with a COVID-19 outbreak of this magnitude, eyes around the country are closely watching the Washington state response,” the delegation wrote. “We thank you in advance for your efforts to mitigate the outbreak in our communities, and across the country, and we look forward to continuing our joint efforts to keep our communities safe.” Click here to read the full letter.
On March 11, during a House Appropriations Energy and Water Subcommittee hearing, Rep. Newhouse engaged with the Department of Energy Office Science Director Chris Fall on the capabilities of the national lab network, including the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Tri-Cities, to assist in the efforts to counter COVID-19. Click here to watch the video.
On March 12, Rep. Newhouse joined a bipartisan group of 29 lawmakers to call for urgent action and clarity from the Small Business Administration to assist small businesses being impacted by COVID-19 and related containment efforts.
The letter reads, “Congress approved $8.3 billion in emergency funding for federal agencies to respond to the ongoing COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak, including $20 million for the Small Business Administration and up to $7 billion in low-interest disaster loans to assist small businesses impacted by this public health crisis. It is our responsibility to ensure that small businesses across the country know that we are looking out for them.” Click here to read the full letter.
