**Kuster, Pappas vote to send coronavirus spending measure to the Senate**

**Pappas led delegation effort to ensure that New Hampshire will be reimbursed for spending to combat the coronavirus**

Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) voted to approve a bipartisan coronavirus response package that provides $8.3 billion in federal funding to support federal and state efforts to prepare for and combat the virus.   

“From my conversations with New Hampshire state officials, health care providers, and college and school administrators, it is clear that additional resources are necessary to support their ongoing efforts to limit the spread of the coronavirus,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “I’ve shared the concerns of people in New Hampshire directly with House Leadership and underscored the importance of swiftly distributing this funding. The legislation the House advanced today is an important step toward bolstering the local response to the coronavirus. I look forward to continuing to work with our congressional delegation and state officials to support efforts on the ground in New Hampshire.”

“As Members of Congress our foremost responsibility is to keep our communities healthy and safe, which is why I voted in favor of a strong bipartisan supplemental funding package that will equip our state and local public health officials with the resources they need to contain this virus,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “This package will help protect Granite Staters by providing $8.3 billion in federal funds to address the coronavirus outbreak. It will also ensure that our state is reimbursed for its ongoing containment and mitigation efforts. The American people are depending on us to approach this challenge with level-headed leadership, and I will continue to work together with our partners in federal, state, and local government to ensure we deliver a complete, whole-of-government response to contain and treat this outbreak in the weeks and months ahead.”

This supplemental package includes: 

• $2.2 billion in public health funding for prevention, which includes a provision to reimburse state and local response efforts
• $3 billion for the research and development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
• $1 billion for medical supplies and health care preparedness, including funding for our health centers
• $1.25 billion to secure Americans’ health by addressing coronavirus overseas 
• $300 million to ensure access to affordable vaccines. 

After repeated conversations with New Hampshire health officials, education administrators, and public health experts, Kuster spoke directly with House Leadership about the importance of immediately advancing legislation to support local efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Kuster underscored the importance to House leaders of ensuring swift distribution of funds to New Hampshire and the need for the State to be reimbursed for resources already expended on addressing the coronavirus.

Prior to the announcement of a funding package, Congressman Pappas took to the House floor calling on Congress to pass a robust bipartisan emergency coronavirus package that adequately responds to the urgent needs of state and local public health officials. Pappas led the rest of the New Hampshire Congressional delegation in calling on House and Senate leadership to include language in the coronavirus emergency supplemental spending bill to ensure that states, including New Hampshire, are reimbursed for the cost of their ongoing efforts to combat the virus.

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