$8B To Fight Coronavirus: NJ Lawmakers Back Huge Spending Bill

MONTCLAIR, NJ — “There’s no price tag when it comes to saving American lives.” This sentiment, put forth by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr. of New Jersey, was shared by an overwhelming majority of his legislative peers in the Garden State – as well as President Donald Trump – when they helped fast-track a massive, $8.3 billion aid package to battle coronavirus in the United States.

On Friday, Trump signed H.R. 6074, which will provide federal public health agencies with money for vaccines, tests and potential treatments to combat COVID-19, the coronavirus outbreak that has reportedly infected more than 230 and killed at least 12 people in the U.S.

As of Friday, there have been at least three presumptive coronavirus case identified in New Jersey. However, state health officials have maintained that most New Jersey residents are at “very low risk” of contracting COVID-19.

The gargantuan federal emergency aid package will also help state and local governments prepare and respond to the threat, lawmakers said.

The measure gained near-unanimous support from Democrats and Republicans alike, passing by a vote of 96-1 in the Senate and 415-2 in the House. In New Jersey, the bill got a vote of support from every member of the House and Senate, except Rep. Albio Sires of the 8th District, who did not vote on the legislation.

The legislation also earned praise from advocacy groups such as Indivisible Action, which wrote that the bill contains “no money for DHS,” has transfer restrictions to keep money from being diverted for “bad things” and includes language to “ensure the treatment or vaccine is affordable and accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy.”

• See related article: Trump Signs $8.3 Billion Bill To Combat Coronavirus In US

“Coronavirus is a national public health crisis that demands quick and effective action,” Rep. Payne of the 10th District said. “It will become worse if we fail to act, and I am proud of my House colleagues for showing true bipartisan leadership to pass this bill immediately.”

“There is no price tag when it comes to saving American lives,” Payne added.

Rep. Tom Malinowski of the state’s 7th District said he plans to keep his constituents up to date on the developing threat posed by the novel coronavirus.

“The funding package we passed in the House is a good start,” Malinowski said.

Sen. Cory Booker tweeted he was grateful that Congress was able to come together and pass “much-needed funding” to fight coronavirus.

“With the first probable case in New Jersey, this funding is critical to those on the frontlines dealing with this threat,” Booker wrote Thursday, before a second presumptive positive case was announced in the state. “Glad that funding I requested for state and local health departments is included.”

Sen. Robert Menendez said that Democrats and Republicans listened to the health care experts and local governments that are on the “front lines” of a growing public health crisis.

“Thankfully, Congress pulled together this week to respond to the coronavirus with a robust and serious funding package that will provide the resources we need to address this expanding public health crisis here in the United States and across the globe,” Menendez said.

WHERE WILL THE MONEY GO?

According to a statement from Menendez, bill includes funding to reimburse state and local governments for costs incurred while assisting the federal response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Menendez said the aid package includes the following items:

“More than $2 billion to help federal, state, local, and tribal governments prevent, prepare, and respond to the crisis.”

• Nearly $1 billion directly to state, local, and tribal governments to conduct public health preparedness and response activities, including surveillance and monitoring, laboratory testing to identify new cases, tracing to identify additional positive cases, infection control at the local level to prevent new cases and mitigation activities.
• $300 million to replenish the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund.
• $300 million to CDC for global disease detection and emergency response.
• Reimbursement to state and local governments for costs incurred responding to coronavirus prior to the date of enactment of this bill.
• Support for CDC’s continuing efforts to contain and combat this virus, including repatriation and quarantine efforts, purchase and distribution of test kits (including to state and local public health agencies) and support for laboratory testing, and communicating with and informing public, state, local, and tribal governments, and healthcare institutions.

“More than $3 billion for research, development, and review of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics to help protect the health and safety of the American people.”

• More than $2 billion for the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority (BARDA), prioritizing platform-based technologies with U.S-based manufacturing for vaccines and therapeutics.
• $836 million for the National Institutes of Health to support this research, including $10 million for worker-based training to prevent and reduce exposure of hospital employees, emergency first responders, and other workers at risk through their work duties.
• $300 million in contingency funding for procurement of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics.
• $61 million for the Food and Drug Administration to review and approve vaccines, enhance emergency use authorizations, and advance continuous manufacturing.
• Requires that vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics developed using taxpayer funds be available for purchase by the Federal government at a fair and reasonable price
• Allows the HHS Secretary to ensure that vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics developed using taxpayer funds be affordable in the commercial market.

“Nearly $1 billion for healthcare preparedness, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, and community health.”

• Approximately $500 million for procurement of pharmaceuticals, masks, personal protective equipment, and other medical supplies, which can be distributed to state and local health agencies in areas with a shortage of medical supplies.
• $100 million for Community Health Centers, supporting smaller health clinics in under-served urban and rural areas.
• Funding for hospital preparedness, state and local pathogen treatment centers, and medical surge capacity to increase capacity at health facilities across the country.

“$1.25 billion to combat this public health threat overseas to prevent and respond to wider spread of the virus.”

• $264 million to maintain consular operations overseas, for emergency preparedness for our embassies and for evacuations of Americans if needed.
• $435 million to enable overseas health systems to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the virus.
• $300 million for humanitarian assistance in countries coping with the virus.
• $250 million for the Economic Support Fund, including to address related economic, security and stabilization requirements.

“Emergency telehealth waiver to support telehealth services.”

• Allows the HHS Secretary to waive certain Medicare telehealth restrictions during the coronavirus public health emergency, allowing Medicare providers to furnish telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries regardless of whether the beneficiary is in a rural community, and allowing beneficiaries to receive care from physicians and other practitioners in their homes. This provision is estimated to cost $500 million.

“Assistance for small businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak.”

• $1 billion in loan subsidies that would provide $7 billion in low-interest loans for small businesses impacted by financial losses as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

“Reimbursement of up to $136 million to important healthcare programs.”

• The Trump Administration diverted money from critical healthcare programs, including for mental health and substance abuse treatment and prevention, and heating and cooling assistance for low-income families (LIHEAP), to support its coronavirus response. This bill restores funds to those programs.

CDC OFFERS $1.75 MILLION TO NEW JERSEY

Menendez pointed out that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), has already agreed to funnel New Jersey $1.75 million in federal funding to reimburse the state for its preparedness efforts through a separate award.

“I applaud New Jersey’s efforts in combating COVID-19 and ensuring the public is both informed and protected,” Menendez said of the CDC funding.

“The federal government has a responsibility to reimburse states, like New Jersey, that are devoting significant resources in order to respond to this public health emergency and protect the public,” the senator said. “This funding is a great first step and I will continue working to ensure New Jersey receives the funding and resources it needs to combat the spread of the coronavirus.”

Acting Governor Sheila Oliver also praised the $1.75 million boost for New Jersey.

“We remain in close contact with the White House, CDC, and other federal agencies to ensure that our needs as a state are met as we continue to aggressively prepare and respond to the global spread of COVID-19,” Oliver said Wednesday.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

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