Dear Friend, 

Since the coronavirus outbreak began, I have been in constant contact with government officials from the White House, the Centers for Disease Control, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institute of Health, and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that constituents of Pennsylvania’s 9th District remain informed and safe. I commend President Trump for taking decisive action to keep Americans safe. His immediate actions, including travel restrictions for visitors from affected countries, have given the U.S. government valuable time to prepare and respond to the virus.

The Administration’s outreach to members of Congress has been equally impressive. Last week, I attended a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and Ambassador Debbie Birx, the Coronavirus Response Coordinator, at the White House. Ambassador Birx is a Pennsylvania native and received her medical degree from the Penn State Hershey School of Medicine. Vice President Pence was also present at a briefing for the House of Representatives last week. 

In Congress, I have been briefed on coronavirus by:

• Secretary Alex Azar (HHS)
• Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., Director, National Institute of Allergies & Infectious Diseases (NIH)
• Administration Seema Verma (CMS)
• Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli (DHS) 

The organization and collaboration across government agencies led to bipartisan support for a supplemental spending bill which passed the House and Senate last week. The bill allocates funding to prepare our nation for a disease outbreak, including expediting vaccine development, purchasing essential equipment and supplies, and assisting state and local health departments.

What’s in the Emergency Supplemental Bill?

• More than $4 billion to make diagnostic tests more broadly available; to support treatments to ease the symptoms of those infected with the virus; and to invest in vaccine development and to procure vaccines when they are available. Funds are also made available for the Food and Drug Administration to protect the integrity of medical products manufactured overseas and identify and prevent potential shortages.
• $2.2 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for a robust response, including:
  • Nearly $1 billion exclusively for state and local response efforts
  • $300 million for CDC’s Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund to prevent, prepare for, and respond to diseases – keeping our nation prepared and positioned for any health threat.
• $20 million to administer disaster assistance loans for small businesses impacted by the virus.
• $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 and maintain consular operations overseas
  • $200 million for USAID’s Emergency Response Fund to prepare for and respond to emerging health threats – working to prevent the spread of illness and infection before it reaches U.S. soil. 

As new developments occur, I will keep you informed of the situation. I encourage you to visit CDC.gov for additional information and guidance. Please see below a fact sheet about the coronavirus from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. 

Sincerely,

Dan Meuser
Member of Congress