Durbin, Duckworth Call On President Trump To Utilize Fema’s Disaster Relief Funds To Aid State & Local Response To Coronavirus Outbreak

WASHINGTON—Following Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s state of emergency declaration in response to the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19), U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), and 27 of their Senate Democratic colleagues in sending a letter to President Trump urging him to immediately consider any disaster declarations so states can utilize the $42.6 billion currently available in the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) in their efforts to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and protect public health.

“It is crucial that your administration employ a whole-of-government approach in responding to COVID-19. This includes working closely with state, local, and tribal officials and providing necessary resources to those on the frontlines. We strongly urge FEMA to stand ready to provide emergency protective measures to prevent and mitigate the spread of disease, save lives, and protect public health and safety, should any state request assistance,” the Senators wrote.

In the letter, the Senators note that if a disaster declaration was granted, use of the DRF would allow FEMA to provide emergency protective measures to the state at a 75 percent federal to 25 percent state cost share for a wide range of eligible expenses and activities. While the immediate health risk to the majority of the American public is thought to remain low, the Senators emphasized that the challenges of community spread have already begun to strain state and local government responses, particularly health departments.

Along with Durbin, Duckworth, Schumer, Murray, and Peters, the letter is also signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ed Markey (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Bob Casey (D-PA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Angus King (I-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR).

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