Press Releases

WASHINGTON D.C. — Today, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) joined his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives in passing an emergency funding package which provides $7.8 billion to protect the American public from COVID-19.  

“The health and safety of Arkansans and the American people come first. I am pleased that we put aside politics to provide our federal agencies with the resources required to combat this virus,” said Rep. Hill. “I applaud the hardworking men and women at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for already taking considerable steps to limit the spread and mitigate the impact of COVID-19. This new funding will substantially bolster our health care workers and protect American families.”

Background

The Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act includes:

• $2.2 billion for the CDC to implement a robust response including nearly $1 billion exclusively for state and local response efforts and $300 million for CDC’s Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve fund to prevent and prepare for diseases. 
• $1.25 billion for the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to protect Americans abroad and prevent the spread of the virus worldwide, including $264 million to evacuate Americans overseas and $200 million to respond to emerging health threats.
• $20 million for Small Business Administration economic disaster loans needed in response to the coronavirus.

The Arkansas Department of Health has epidemiologists on standby ready to answer questions from the public and health care providers about the outbreak. They can be reached at (800) 803-7847.

 If you or a loved one are having trouble returning to the United States due to the virus, please contact Anushree Jumde at (501) 358-3481, or Anna Reckling at (501) 324-5941. Additionally, their emails are anushree.jumde@mail.house.gov and anna.reckling@mail.house.gov.