March 6,2020 3:45 a.m.
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden have announced the Senate passage of a bipartisan, bicameral coronavirus emergency funding bill to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Merkley said in the face of the public health crisis, officials need good information, good science, and to be able to get the right tools in the right hands to limit the virus’s spread and to keep people safe. He said, “keeping Oregonians healthy and safe, especially the most vulnerable in our state, is my number one priority”. He said the funding will help make sure Oregon and states around the country treat that priority with the urgency required, by providing the resources they need to tackle any threat posed by COVID-19.
The release from the Senators said the legislation includes:
*More than $3 billion for the research and development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
*More than $2 billion to help federal, state, local and tribal governments, prevent, prepare and respond to the crisis
*Nearly $1 billion to invest in health care preparedness, purchase critical pharmaceuticals and medical supplies and support community health centers
In addition, over $300 million will go to ensuring that vaccines developed with the support of federal dollars remain affordable to those most in need.
After also passing in the House, the proposal is headed to the President’s desk to be signed into law.
A summary of the package can be downloaded by go to this link: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Coronavirus%20Supplemental_Summary.pdf