McCollum Statement on Trump Administration Response to Coronavirus Outbreak
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.) released the following statement today in response to the president's $2.5 billion request for funding to combat the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus:
"Our country faces serious national security threats that require American leadership and constructive engagement – not floundering alone in isolation, but rather working together with our global partners. The coronavirus is a such a threat, and lives are at risk. President Trump is willfully ignorant as to what America's public health experts are telling him, and is incapable of taking the steps necessary to address a potential crisis. What Americans need and deserve is an all-of-government, science-based emergency response.
"President Trump's request to Congress for emergency funding is long past due and woefully insufficient to protect American lives. In the midst of this global health emergency, President Trump is so out of touch with the need for a strong Emergency Preparedness program within the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), that his budget proposal significantly cut the program's funding.
"Not listening to the scientists and doctors who keep us safe and proposing steep budget cuts clearly shows his egregious lack of leadership. As one of the House Appropriators, I will work with my House and Senate colleagues on a strategic, robust funding package that will comprehensively and effectively consider the scope and seriousness of this threat to ensure the American people are as prepared as possible."
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