McCollum Statement on Passage of Interim COVID-19 Funding Bill

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement after the House passed an interim funding package, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, to provide additional funding for the Paycheck Protection Program, COVID-19 testing, and funds for personal protective equipment for our front line health care workers and facilities.

"The interim COVID-19 funding bill provides a much-needed $310 billion replenishment to the Paycheck Protection Program, including $30 billion set aside for community-based lenders to get critical funding into the hands of small businesses who need it most. At the insistence of Democrats, added to this bill is $25 billion for coronavirus testing and $75 billion for front line health care facilities and personal protective equipment for our health care heroes putting their lives on the line.

"As the crisis continues to devastate the health and economic security of our country we must look ahead to the next emergency relief bill. Critical help is going to be needed for America's families, health care workers, tribal nations, state and local governments, higher education institutions, and small businesses. I'm focused on providing additional funding to make sure underserved and underbanked communities, especially women- and minority-owned businesses and small mom and pop shops have access to the emergency funding they need. I'm also working to secure dedicated funding for our nation's children's hospitals, which provide critical care to the most vulnerable children across America. Funding from the first emergency aid bills isn't reaching these hospitals, and they need our support.

"In order to get to a place where we can safely open up our small businesses, we need a coordinated, federally-supported testing strategy. Public health and economic recovery go hand in hand, and cannot be separated. States like Minnesota are leading the way – and the Trump administration has a responsibility to do a better job working with states to meet their needs during this crisis."

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